.
: Poetry responding to visual art. (See site)
: $100 and publication.
: April 30, 2022.
APRIL 2020
Eliza So Finish-Your-Book Fellowship.
Restrictions: This fellowship is for Native Americans.
Genre: A novel, collection of stories, or memoir in progress (100 pages minimum) or poetry collection in progress (30 pages minimum).
Prize: The 2020 Eliza So Fellowship will include lodging in Missoula, along with a $1,000 stipend for food and travel. Fellows will stay in a private house on the Clark Fork river trail, just blocks from downtown, grocery shopping, farmers markets, parks, restaurants, coffee shops, and more.
Deadline: April 5, 2020.
April 2019
Harold U. Ribalow Prize.
Genre: Fiction on a Jewish theme, published books only
. Prize: $3,000.
Deadline: April 12, 2019.
Lake Superior State University High School Short Story Prize.
Restrictions: Open to high school students students residing in the Midwestern United States (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin) or Ontario, Canada.
Genre: Short fiction.
Prize: $500 and publication.
Deadline: April 30, 2019.
On hiatus.
MAY 2023
Parsec Short Story Contest.
Restrictions: Open to non-professional writers.
Genre: Speculative fiction. The theme for the contest is: Preserve or Purge. This can be conveyed in the setting, plot, characters, dialogue…the only limit is your imagination. The theme must be integral to the story in some way and not just mentioned in passing.
Prize: $200 and publication. Best youth story (age 19 and under) receives $50.
Deadline: May 1, 2023.
The Waterston Desert Writing Prize.
Genre: Literary nonfiction, desert theme.
Prize: $3,000.
Deadline: May 1, 2023.
Creative Future Writers’ Award.
Restrictions: Open to underrepresented writers in the UK only, who are over 18 years old. Genre: Poetry, fiction. This year’s theme is ‘How It Started.’ Prize: Publication, unspecified monetary award (?) Deadline: May 14, 2023.
Governor General's Literary Awards.
Restrictions: Books must have been written by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. They do not need to be residing in Canada.
Genre: The Governor General’s Literary Awards are given annually to the best English-language and French-Language book in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Young People’s Literature (Text), Young People’s Literature (Illustrated Books).
Prize: $25,000.
Deadline: May 15, 2023.
Storyhouse: Preservation Foundation Essay Contest for Unpublished Writers.
Restrictions: The contest is open to writers whose creative writing has never produced revenues of over $500 in any single year. First prize winners of previous contests, while ineligible for prizes in regular contests, can compete in this one.
Genre: Nonfiction.
Prize: First prize is $100. Runners-up will receive $50.
Deadline: May 31, 2023.
MAY 2022
The Orchards Poetry Journal: Grantchester Award.
Genre: Poetry.
Prize: First place is $50.00.
Second place is $30.00.
Deadline: May 1, 2022.
West Virginia Fiction Competition. Restrictions: Open to West Virginia residents or students. Genre: Short fiction, 5,000 words max. Prize: $500. Deadline: May 1, 2022.
Queer Scifi Flash Fiction Contest.
Genre: Fantasy, paranormal or horror LGBTIQA stories of no more than 300 words on the theme of Clarity.
Prize: The top three winners will receive cash prizes of $75, $50, and $25 respectively.
Deadline: May 1, 2022.
CINTAS Creative Writing Fellowship.
Restrictions: Open to any Cuban author (including those of direct Cuban lineage; need not reside in Cuba).
Genre: Novel excerpts, short stories, plays, or poems of up to 25 pages.
Prize: $20,000 fellowship.
Deadline: May 1, 2022.
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: May 2, 2022 (postmarked).
Reel One Entertainment.
Genre: Rom-com screenplay. "We want your fun, romantic and feel-good TV movie ideas for a love story our audiences worldwide are sure to fall for." Submit a 2-page treatment in PDF format for your romcom idea.
Prize: $5000 USD cash prize and the opportunity to work alongside our experienced Development Executives with the intention of greenlighting to Production.
Deadline: May 2, 2022.
Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Non-Fiction.
Genre: Literary non-fiction.
Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians.
Prize: $60,000 will be awarded to a literary nonfiction book published between March 1, 2022 and May 2, 2022.
Deadline: May 3, 2022.
Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize.
Genre: Fiction.
Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. No self-published works.
Prize: $60,000 will be awarded to a novel or short-story collection published between March 1, 2022 and May 2, 2022. Prizes of $5,000 will be awarded to each of the finalists.
Deadline: May 3, 2022.
Harper-Wood Creative Writing & Travel Award for English Poetry and Literature.
Restrictions: Open to any student who has graduated from any university in the UK, Ireland, the Commonwealth or the USA. Genre: The Award Holder is expected to engage in a course of study or research, and produce a piece of original fiction, drama or poetry.
Prize: £15,500 is provided to cover accommodation and living expenses during the course of the year.
Deadline: May 4, 2022.
Grist: Imagine 2200.
Genre: Short stories. "What we’re seeking: short stories that envision the next 180 years of equitable climate progress. Our mission is to make the story of a better world so irresistible, you want it right now."
Prize: First, second, and third-prize winners will be awarded $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000 respectively, and nine additional finalists will each receive a $300 honorarium.
Deadline: May 5, 2022.
All Our Various Voices. Montpelier Arts Center is seeking original and unpublished submissions for All Our Various Voices, an anthology celebrating the rich diversity of personal or family stories of immigration from writers who are 18 years of age and older and reside in Maryland, Virginia, or the District of Columbia.
Prize: First Place ($200), Second Place ($150), Third Place ($100) and two Honorable Mentions ($50 each). First Place ($200), Second Place ($150), Third Place ($100) and two Honorable Mentions ($50 each).
Deadline: May 7, 2022.
Love the Words 2022: Water. ‘Love the Words’ is an annual celebration of the magic and power of words, and is part of International Dylan Thomas Day.
Genre: Poems on theme: Water.
Prize: Publication.
Deadline: May 7, 2022.
Louise Meriwether First Book Prize.
Restrictions: Open to fiction and narrative nonfiction by women of color and nonbinary writers of color who are US residents.
Genres: First book of fiction, including novels and short story collections, or narrative memoir, of 50,000 to 80,000 words.
Prize: $5,000 and a publishing contract from the Feminist Press.
Deadline: May 8, 2022.
Spectator competition No. 3249.
Genre: You are invited to submit an extract from a Mills & Boon-style novel whose central character is a contemporary politician (please specify). Email entries of up to 150 words.’ to lucy@spectator.co.uk.
Prize: £30.
Deadline: Midday on May 11, 2022.
Apparition Lit.
Genre: Speculative flash fiction inspired by the monthly photograph prompt. (See site for photo.) Length: 1000 words max.
Prize: $30.
Deadline: May 14, 2022.
ABA Journal/Ross Writing Contest for Legal Short Fiction. Sponsored by the American Bar Association.
Restrictions: Entrants must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.
Genre: Original works of short fiction that illuminate the role of the law and/or lawyers in modern society. 5000 words max.
Prize: $3,000 and publication in ABA Journal.
Deadline: May 15, 2022.
OutWrite 2022 Chapbook Competition.
Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry Chapbooks. OutWrite is a celebration of LGBTQ literature; entries that explore aspects of LGBTQ culture or identity are encouraged.
Prize $100, an offer of print publication from Neon Hemlock Press, and an opportunity to read from their work at OutWrite 2022.
Deadline: May 15, 2022.
Toyin Falola Prize.
Restrictions: Open to Africans between the age of 15 and 35. Genre: Prose (fiction or nonfiction) on theme of Freedom. Prize: $2,500 share between winner and 5 short listed stories. Deadline: May 15, 2022.
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, 2020."
Prize: $3000.
Deadline: May 15, 2022.
The James Laughlin Award is sponsored by the Academy of American Poets.
Genre: A second book of poetry forthcoming in the next calendar year. Must be under contract with US publisher.
Restrictions: Open to US citizens and residents only.
Prize: $5,000, an all-expenses-paid week long residency in Florida, and the Academy will purchase approximately 1,000 copies of the book for distribution to its members.
Deadline: May 15, 2022.
Singapore Poetry Contest.
Genre: Poetry. "We are looking for poems that use the chiming words "time" and "regime" together or separately in imaginative ways."
Prize: USD300, 200, and 100 will go to the top three winners
. Deadline: May 15, 2022.
Leeway Foundation: Transformation Award.
Restrictions: Women and transgender poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers in the Philadelphia area who have been creating art for social change for five or more years. Writers who have lived for at least two years in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia counties, who are at least 18 years of age, and who are not full-time students in a degree-granting arts program are eligible.
Award: $15,000.
Deadline: May 15, 2022.
Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant.
Genre: Articles, books, and short-form writing about contemporary art—the grants support projects addressing both general and specialized art audiences, from short reviews for magazines and newspapers to in-depth scholarly studies. The program also supports art writing that engages criticism through interdisciplinary methods and experiments with literary styles.
Grant: $15,000 to $50,000.
Deadline: May 18, 2022.
Bennett Nieberg Transpoetic Broadside Prize.
Restrictions: Open to trans poets who have yet to publish their first full-length book.
Genre: Poem.
Prize: $1,000 USD, 25 limited edition letterpress broadsides of the winning poem, and a feature in the upcoming issue of Gasher Journal.
Deadline: May 18, 2022.
Roscommon New Writing Award.
Restrictions: All entrants must have a connection with the county of Roscommon (born in, living in, currently working in, went to school in, etc).
Genres: Short stories.
Prize: €750.00.
Deadline: May 20, 2022.
Spectrum: Poetry Celebrating Identity.
Genre: Poem. "We’re particularly keen to hear from those who do not see their identity represented in traditional or mainstream media. Anywhere in the world, any age."
Prize: 1st prize: £200; 2nd prize: £100.
Deadline: May 21, 2022.
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: May 23, 2022.
Celebrating Black Writers: Voices Calling for Activism and Social Justice.
Restrictions: Open to high school and college students of all ages. Genre: Fiction, prose, and essays. Writings should represent various themes raised by Black writers—poets, novelists, literary activists, public intellectuals, civil rights leaders, and historians—who have advocated for social justice.
Prize: For college students: first place $4,000; second place $2,000. High school students (includes juniors and seniors): first place $3,000; second place $1,500.
Deadline: May 23, 2022.
Solarpunk Microfiction Contest.
Genre; Microfiction, 250 words max.
Prize: $25 and publication on the Solarpunk Magazine website.
Deadline: May 26, 2022.
See theme.
Opens May 20.
Irene Adler Prize for Women Writers.
Restrictions: Open to Canadian women. Genre: Creative nonfiction.
Prize: $1,000 scholarship to a woman pursuing a degree in journalism, creative writing, or literature at a recognized post-secondary institution in the U.S. or Canada.
Deadline: May 30, 2022.
The Center for Fiction / Susan Kamil Emerging Writer Fellowships offer grants, editorial mentorship, and other opportunities to early-career New York City-based practitioners who are at a critical moment in their development as fiction writers.
Genre: Fiction.
Grant: $5,000.
Deadline: May 30, 2022.
The Wolfe Pack Black Orchid Award.
Genre: Mystery novellas in the style of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe novellas.
Manuscript length: 15K-20K words.
Prize: $1,000, plus recognition and publication in a forthcoming issue of AAMM.
Deadline: May 31, 2022.
Aura Estrada Short Story Contest.
Genre: Short story on the
me: Speculation. Prize: $1,000 and publication.
Deadline: May 31, 2022. (free entry for contestants outside U.S., Canada, Western Europe, and those experiencing hardship)
Tales to Terrify.
Genre: Nautical horror flash fiction.
Prize: $25.
Deadline: May 31, 2022.
A Voice for Animals Teen Essay Contest.
Restrictions: Open to students between the ages of 14-18.
Genre: Essays on an animal rights topic. In the 16-18 year olds category, essays must be 800-1,000 words long and be accompanied by a photograph; in the 14-15 year olds category, essays should be between 1,400-1,500 words. One climate change prize (both age categories compete) will be awarded for an essay on how climate change affects a particular animal species.
Prize: $500.
Deadline: May 31, 2022.
#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: May 31, 2022.
bpNichol Poetry Chapbook Award.
Restrictions: Canadian publishers only.
Genre: Published poetry chapbook.
Prize: The author receives $4,000 and the publisher receives $500.
Deadline: May 31, 2022.
CNO Naval History Essay Contest. Genre: Scholarly essay on naval history. Prize: First Prize: $5,000. Second Prize:$2,500. Third Prize: $1,500. Deadline: May 31, 2022.
Jerry Jazz Musician Fiction Contest.
Genre: Unpublished fiction approximately 1,000 - 5,000 words. Story should pertain to music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and theater, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America.
Prize: $100 and publication in
Jerry Jazz Musician.
Deadline: May 31, 2022.
McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize is awarded to the author of the best first novel published in the previous calendar year.
Restrictions: Only American authors publishing in English are eligible. Non-eligible books include short story collections, flash fiction, memoirs, biographies and books published solely in electronic format.
Prize: $1000.
Deadline: May 31, 2022.
Owl Canyon Press Essay Contest.
Genre: Essay of at least 2,000 words about some aspect of Marc Jampole’s experimental literary masterpiece, The Brothers Silver.
Prize: $5000. An additional honorarium of $1,000 will be awarded the winner if their essay is published in an eligible publication (see rules for list); authors of any other entry published in an eligible publication will receive $300.
Deadline: May 31, 2022.
MAY 2020
SemiSages of the Pages.
Genre: Flash fiction on prompt: You receive an odd package and have no idea who sent it to you. Length: 250-500 words.
Prize: $25 Amazon gift certificate and publication.
Deadline: May 1, 2020.
Nick Darke Award.
Restrictions: Open to UK and European scriptwriters.
Genre: Full-length play.
Prize: £6,000.
Deadline: May 4, 2020.
MAY 2019
DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. Genre: Published book with themes based on South Asian culture, politics, history, or people. Entries must have been first published in English between February 15 of the previous year and April 15 of the deadline year. Must be submitted by publisher. Prize: $25,000. Deadline: May 10, 2019.
St. Francis College Literary Prize.
Genre: Novel. Third, fourth, or fifth published book of fiction. Self-published books and English translations are eligible.
Prize: $50,000 is given biennially.
Deadline: May 15, 2019.
Postponed due to pandemic.
JUNE 2023
Forum Prize.
Genre: Essay on the subject of: ‘Courageous Art(s)’ "We are looking for bold, visionary and persuasive essays that use academic research to pursue innovative questions. The topic may be addressed from the perspective of any of the literatures (including literary linguistics, translation and comparative literature approaches) normally covered by the journal: Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish."
Prize: £500 and publication.
Deadline: June 1, 2023.
Scotiabank Giller Prize.
Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. 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: Books published between May 1, 2023, and June 30, 2023 must be received on or before June 16, 2023.
Young Scots Writer of the Year Award.
Restrictions: You must be aged 11–18 to enter as an individual.
Genre: Stories, poems, spoken word pieces, comics, videos or other pieces of writing. "We want to see it all, as long as it's in Scots and under 2500 words or up to ten minutes."
Prize: £100 book token.
Deadline: June 21, 2023.
JUNE 2022
Sapiens Plurum.
Genre: Short stories that personalize the consequences of climate change. Theme: “Inventing Beautiful Futures.”
Prize: 1ST PRIZE: $1000; 2ND PRIZE: $500; 3RD PRIZE: $300.
Deadline: June 1, 2022.
The Novel Prize.
Genre: Book-length work of literary fiction written in English.
Prize: $10,000.
Deadline: June 1, 2022.
Cromwell Article Prize.
Restrictions: Open to early career scholars.
Genre: Articles published in the field of American legal history. Prize: $2,500.
Deadline: June 1, 2022.
PEN/Phyllis Naylor Grant for Children’s and Young Adult Novelists.
Restrictions: Candidates must have published one or more novels for children or young adults that have been warmly received by literary critics, but have not generated sufficient income to support the author.
Genre: Book-length children's or young-adult fiction.
Prize: $5000.
Deadline: June 1, 2022.
On The Premises: Unreliable. "For this mini-contest, tell, show, or evoke a complete story between 25 and 50 words long that is told from the point of view of an unreliable narrator. That is, you shouldn’t expect the reader to understand the story the same way the narrator does. Remember that an unreliable narrator isn’t necessarily a fool! The readers just have to recognize something in the story being told that the narrator doesn’t."
Prize: $250 for first place, $200 for second, $150 for third. Deadline: June 3, 2022.
The Lorca Latinx Poetry Prize honors the role of transoceanic friendship in poet Federico GarcÃa Lorca’s life, work, and legacy.
Restrictions: Poet must have published no more than one full-length collection.
Genre: Poetry.
Prize: Translation of an emerging Latinx poet’s English language chapbook-length manuscript into Spanish and bilingual publication. "The Prize strives to facilitate platforms for this poet to present their work, including at festivals, residences and readings in the United States, and beyond." $500 and 10 copies of the chapbook.
Deadline: June 5, 2022.
Furious Fiction.
Genre: Flash fiction based on their prompt. Length: 500 words max.
Prize: $500AUD.
Deadline: June 5, 2022.
Icelandic Festival of Manitoba Poetry & Short Stories Contest.
Genre: Poetry and short stories. Length; 1200 words max.
Prize: $50 - $125. "You do not need to be of Icelandic descent to submit an entry however material reflecting Icelandic culture and interests will be given preference."
Deadline: June 5, 2022.
BlackInk: New Writing Competition. Restrictions: Open to writers from the African and African Caribbean Diaspora based in the UK. Genre: Short story up to 3,000 words. Prize: £500 top prize.
Deadline: June 6, 2022.
The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting. Restrictions: An address in the UK or Republic of Ireland or British Overseas Territory or British Forces Post Office. OR an entry code shared with you for submission to the International Award. Note: The Bruntwood Prize International Award of £8,000 is open to international playwrights who can apply through their partners. (See site for list)
Genre: Play.
Prize: £16,000.
Deadline: June 6, 2022.
Defenestration.
Genre: Short story including an incident of defenestration – the art or –ism of throwing people out of windows. It need not be literal. "This can be a sudden, immediate, even violent shift, change, or seismical event between the beginning and the end.”
Prize: $75, two runner-up prizes of $30 each.
Deadline: June 7, 2022.
Spectator Comp No. 3253: me time.
Genre: ‘You are invited to provide a poem entitled ‘Song of Myself’ in the style of a well-known writer." Please email entries of up to 16 lines to lucyATspectator.co.uk
Prize: £30.
Deadline: June 8, 2022.
Wyoming Creative Writing Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to Wyoming writers who are U.S. citizens or have legal resident status. Genre: Fiction, Poetry, CNF. Prize: $3,000 and an honorarium/travel stipend. One fellowship will be awarded in each category of Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, and Fiction, for a total of three fellowships. Applications are juried by noted authors, literary agents, or writing professionals from outside the state. Jurors may award honorable mentions. Recipients of the Creative Writing fellowships will share their work at one of Wyoming's literary conferences
. Deadline: June 9, 2022.
Hubert Butler Essay Prize. Restrictions: Open to European Union citizens aged 18+. Genre: Essay on theme "In dark times, what can be done to resist the abuse of political power?" 3,000 words max. Prize: Up to 1,000 pounds. Deadline: June 10, 2022.
Literary Taxidermy. Genre: Short story, must begin and end with lines from one of three chosen novels. Prize: Up to $1500 and publication. Deadline: June 11, 2022. Note: There is a voluntary $10 fee. Entrants are encouraged to pay the fee, but the fee will be waived in the case of financial hardship.
Ocean Awareness Youth Contest.
Restrictions: Open to students in grades 6 - 12.
Genre: Art, poetry, prose, film. "Use humor, positivity, irony, or other unconventional approaches that are not typically used in environmental communication to address the climate crisis. Think outside the tackle-box, beyond clichés, to create something that makes the topic of climate change and our oceans more approachable and accessible."
Prizes: $100 - $1,500.
Deadline: June 13, 2022.
Apparition Lit. Genre: Flash fiction. See themes. Prize: $30. Deadline: June 14, 2022.
International Wizard of Oz Club Annual Contests.
Genre: Short Fiction, Art & Academic Nonfiction Research Papers. All work must be related to the world of Oz.
Prize: $100 in each genre. 2nd Prize $50 in each genre.
Deadline: June 15, 2022.
Spectator Comp No. 3254: hard times. "You are invited to tweak a well-known book title to reflect the straitened times we live in (e.g. Lidl Women) and provide an extract of up to 150 words." Please email entries to lucyATspectator.co.uk
Prize: £30.
Deadline: June 15, 2022.
Christopher Hewitt Award. Genre: Poetry, fiction, CNF, drama. "The award showcases outstanding responses to the AIDS pandemic and the realities of individuals living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. Prize: $75 in each category. Deadline: June 15, 2022.
Fraser Institute Student Essay Contest. Restrictions: Canadian high school, college, and graduate students. Genre: Short essay on "What in the world would Adam Smith say?" Prize: CAD$1,500 in each age category. Deadline: June 15, 2022.
Baltimore Science Fiction Society Amateur Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to Maryland residents or students at a MD 2- or 4-year college, and not a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America or published in a professional science fiction/fantasy magazine Genre: Science fiction short stories. Prize: 1st place is $250; 2nd place is $100; 3rd place is $50. Deadline: June 15, 2022.
Little, Brown Emerging Artist Award. Genre: High-quality picture books that resonate with readers of diverse backgrounds and experience. Diversity includes literal or metaphorical inclusion of characters of underrepresented ethnicity, religious background, gender identity, class, mental or physical disability, or any other nondominant populations. Prize: American Express® gift cards totaling $1,500, round trip travel to New York City, and the honor of a one-day mentorship with a Little, Brown Books for Young Readers’ professional children’s book design and editorial team. Submission will be reviewed for publication. Deadline: June 15, 2022.
Norton Writer's Prize. Sponsored by W.W. Norton & Company. "The Norton Writer’s Prize will be awarded annually for an outstanding essay written by an undergraduate. Literacy narratives, literary and other textual analyses, reports, profiles, evaluations, arguments, memoirs, proposals, mixed-genre pieces, and more: any excellent writing done for an undergraduate writing class will be considered." Genres: Creative Nonfiction, Scholarly Essay. Prize: $1,500. Two runner-up prizes of $1,000. Deadline: June 15, 2022.
Bard Fiction Prize.
Restrictions: Open to a writer who is an American citizen aged 39 years or younger at the time of application.
Genre: Published fiction book.
Prize: $30,000 and a one-semester appointment as writer-in-residence at Bard College.
Deadline: June 15, 2022.
53 Word Story Contest.
Genre: Flash fiction of exactly 53 words based on monthly theme.
Prize: Publication and a free book.
Deadline: June 15, 2022. (Note: This is a monthly contest)
Towson University Prize for Literature. Restrictions: Open to Maryland writers. Genre: Book-length manuscript of fiction, poetry, drama or imaginative non-fiction. The work must have been published within the three years prior to the year of nomination or must be scheduled for publication within the year in which nominated. Self-published works will not be considered. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: June 15, 2022 (?) See nomination form HERE.
Eugene C. Pulliam Fellowship for Editorial Writing. Genre: Editorial writing. The Eugene C. Pulliam Fellowship was established to enable a mid-career editorial writer or columnist to have time away from daily responsibilities for study and research. Freelancers may also apply. Fellowship: $75,000.
Deadline: June 20, 2022.
A Midsummer Tale Narrative Writing Contest.
Genre: Non-genre fiction and creative nonfiction.
Theme: The End.
Length: 1,000 words minimum; 5,000 words maximum.
Prize: $35 - $50 Amazon gift card.
Deadline: June 21, 2022.
Write the World Competitions.
Restrictions: Young writers ages 13-18.
Genre: Essay. (See themes)
Prize: Best Entry: $100; Runner up: $50.
Deadline: June 21, 2022. (Note: This is a monthly contest)
Molly Keane Creative Writing Award. Restrictions: Open to Irish residents.
Genre: Unpublished short story, maximum 2,000 words. Prize: 500 pounds. Deadline: June 22, 2022.
Solarpunk.
Genre: Micro fiction 250 words or less based on the monthly contest theme. (See theme)
Prize: $25 and publication on the Solarpunk Magazine website.
Deadline: June 23, 2022. (Opens June 17)
Solid Essay Contest.
Restrictions: Open to high school students.
Genre: Essay (See site for topics.) Minimum number of words is 600 and maximum is 800.
Prize: Scholarship of $1000.
Deadline: June 23, 2022.
Great Lakes Colleges (GLCA) New Writers Award.
Restrictions: Open to Americans and Canadians.
Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction. In each category,
the submitted work must be an author’s first published volume.
Prize: $500.
Deadline: June 25, 2022.
Bardsy.
Restrictions: Open to US residents.
Genre: Original short stories, in English, that feature a character who will inspire a novel. Length between 2,000 words and 3,000 words.
Prize: $299.
Deadline: June 26, 2022.
Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction.
Restrictions: Books must be English-language, first-edition trade books published by a Canadian press, written by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Titles must be published between May 3, 2022 and September 30, 2022 .
Genre: Literary nonfiction including, among other forms, works of personal or journalistic essays, memoirs, commentary, criticism both social and political, history, and biography.
Prize: Winner: $60,000; Finalists: $5,000.
Deadline: June 28, 2022.
Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize.
Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. No self-published works.
Genre: Novel or short story collection.
Prize: $60,000 will be awarded to the novel or short story collection published between May 3, 2022 and September 30, 2022.
Deadline: June 28, 2022.
The Lindisfarne Crime Prize.
Restrictions: Residents of the North East of England, or whose work celebrates the North East of England.
Genre: Crime short story of up to 10,000 words.
Prize: £2500.
Deadline: June 30, 2022.
Christmas Stories: Postcard Poem Competition.
Genre: Poem. "Poems must be no longer than 16 lines, including title and stanza breaks, with no more than 10 words per line. Your poem must be in English. It must also be new, unpublished, and not currently submitted elsewhere."
Prize: £75.
Deadline: June 30, 2022.
BART Short Fiction Contest.
Genre: Short fiction by authors (18+) living across BART’s five counties (San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara). "With BART Lines, BART shines a light on the literary voices that make the Bay Area the unique, diverse place that it is. Our riders keep BART moving, and we want to highlight the best writers that the region has to offer and showcase it in our stations on our popular Short Story Dispensers.” Length: 7,500 characters or less (spaces included),” on the theme of “Motion.”
Prize: $200.
Deadline: June 30, 2022, or when they reach 400 entries.
Shady Grove Literary.
Genre: Any style, genre, tone of flash fiction. Length: 300 words max.
Prize: $100.
Deadline: June 30, 2022.
Storyhouse.
Genre: Nonfiction. Stories must be true, not semi-fictional accounts. 1000 - 10,000 words in length. Stories must be suitable for children.
Prize: $200.
Deadline: June 30, 2022.
Sargeson Prize for Secondary Schools.
Restrictions: Open to students enrolled at a New Zealand secondary school and aged between 16 and 18 years.
Genre: Short story, Length: 5,000 words max.
Prize: First Prize: $10000; Second Prize: $1000; Third Prize: $500.
Deadline: June 30, 2022.
Sargeson Prize.
Restrictions: Open to New Zealanders.
Genre: Short stories. Length: 5,000 words max.
Prize: First Prize: $10000; Second Prize: $1000; Third Prize: $500.
Deadline: June 30, 2022.
L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. Restrictions: Contest is open only to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, in any medium. Professional publication is deemed to be payment and at least 5,000 copies (or 5,000 hits for online publication). Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi or Horror. 17,000 words max. Prize: $1,000 1st Prize awarded each quarter; one of those winners also receives the $5,000 annual "Golden Pen Award" grand prize. 2nd Prize $750, 3rd Prize $500. Deadline: June 30, 2022.
Drue Heinz Literature Prize. Restrictions: The award is open to writers who have published a book-length collection of fiction or a minimum of three short stories or novellas in commercial magazines or literary journals of national distribution. Online and self-publication does not count toward this requirement. Genre: A manuscript of short stories; two or more novellas (a novella may comprise a maximum of 130 double-spaced typed pages); or a combination of one or more novellas and short stories. Novellas are only accepted as part of a larger collection. Prize: $15,000 and publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press under its standard contract. Deadline: June 30, 2022.
Utah Division of Arts and Museums Original Writing Competition. Restrictions: Utah writers. Genres: Poetry and prose. Prize: $1,000 top prizes for book-length manuscripts of novels, creative nonfiction & history, collection of poetry or short stories, and juvenile book; $300 top prizes for individual poems, short stories, and personal essays. 2nd Prize $500 for the book-length categories, $150 for poetry. Deadline: June 30, 2022.
Blue Mountain Poetry Card Contest. Genre: Poetry. "Poems can be rhyming or non-rhyming, although we find that non-rhyming poetry reads better. We suggest that you write about real emotions and feelings and that you have some special person or occasion in mind as you write." Prize: First prize $300. Second prize $150. Third prize $30. Deadline: June 30, 2022.
Preservation Foundation Essay Contest for Unpublished Writers. Restrictions: The contest is open to writers whose creative writing has never produced revenues of over $750 in any single year. Genre: General Nonfiction. Stories must be between 1000 and10,000 words in length. Prize: First prize in each category will be $200. Runners-up will receive $100. Finalists will receive $50. Deadline: June 30, 2022.
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: June 30, 2022. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.
Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry, Griffin Poetry Prize. Restrictions: One prize goes to a living Canadian poet or translator, the other to a living poet or translator from any country, which may include Canada. Genre: Poetry. Books must have been published in English during the calendar year preceding the year of the award. Prize: Prizes are awarded annually in two categories – International and Canadian. Each prize is worth C$65,000. Deadline: June 30, 2022.
The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Contest. Restrictions: The competition is open to all citizens and residents of the Commonwealth aged 18 and under. Genre: Essay. The theme of the contest is "Community in the Commonwealth." Prize: Past prizes have included certificates, resources for winner's school, visits to Cambridge University, a trip to London and a week of activities, work experience at international organisations, and having your entry featured in worldwide media. Deadline: June 30, 2022.
Rattle Genre: Poetry based on image (See site). Prize: $100 and online publication. Deadline: June 30, 2022.
JUNE 2021
Hiett Prize in the Humanities. The Hiett Prize in the Humanities is an annual award aimed at identifying candidates who are in the early stages of careers devoted to the humanities and whose work shows extraordinary promise and has a significant public component related to contemporary culture.
Restrictions: All applicants must reside in the United States.
Prize: $50,000.
Deadline: June 1, 2021.
The Pandeism Collegiate Writing Competition.
Restrictions: Open to undergraduate and graduate collegiate students of philosophy, theology, religious studies, social sciences, arts, literature, applied sciences, or comparable disciplines.
Genre: Article presenting original thought in exploring implications of the modern theological theory of Pandeism (pantheistic Deism, belief in a Creator wholly becoming our Universe, proposed to be discernible by application of logic and reason). Papers written for course credit are acceptable. Submissions do not need to take a position in favor of or opposed to Pandeism as a theory, but must present original thought about its relative possibility, relation to other areas of theology, or implications for areas such as epistemology, ethics and morality, or science. Submissions must be a minimum of 3,000 words and a maximum of 6,000 words. Only one (1) article may be submitted by each student.
Prize: $250 Amazon gift card and publication.
Deadline: June 10, 2021.
Biennial.
Deborah Rogers Foundation Award.
Restrictions: Applicants may not be under contract to any publisher for any work or title. Applications are only open to writers who have not previously published or self-published a full length book of their own prose writing (with the exception of a collection of poetry). Entrants must write in the English language and reside within the British Commonwealth and Eire.
Genre: Excerpt: 20-30,000 words of a work in progress, fiction or non-fiction, which is not under option or contract.
Prize: £10,000.
Deadline: June 30, 2021
. Will open in Spring 2023.
JUNE 2020
The Furious Gazelle Spring Contest.
Genre: Short fiction up to 5,000 words.
Prize: $30 and publication.
Deadline: June 15, 2020.
Peter K. Hixson Memorial Award.
Genre: Poetry, short stories.
Prize: Each winner will receive $1,800 in Writer’s Relief submission services free of charge.
Deadline: June 18, 2020.
Linda Flowers Literary Award.
Restrictions: Entrants must live in North Carolina. "The North Carolina Humanities Council invites original, unpublished entries of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry for the Linda Flowers Literary Award. Submissions should detail examinations of intimate, provocative, and inspiring portraiture of North Carolina, its people and cultures, bringing to light real men and women having to make their way in the face of change, loss, triumph, and disappointments."
Prize: $1,500.
Deadline: June 25, 2020.
Letheon.
Genre: Poetry related to the perioperative setting. "Are you a medical professional or related to one? Perhaps you have been anesthetized recently, or you are overly acquainted with the waiting room. If you are connected to the world of anesthesia, we encourage you to share your experience with us."
Prize: $500.
Deadline: June 30, 2020.
JUNE 2019
Amy Awards. Poets & Writers presents the Amy Award each year to recognize promising women poets, age 30 and under, living in the New York City metropolitan area or on Long Island. Winners receive a modest honorarium and give a reading in New York City. The award was established in 1995 by Paula Trachtman and Edward Butscher of East Hampton, New York, in memory of Ms. Trachtman's daughter, Amy Rothholz, an actor and poet.
Genre: Poetry.
Deadline: June 1, 2019.
The Vilcek Foundation Awards.
Restrictions: Applicant must have been born outside the United States; Applicant must not be more than 38 years old as of December 31, 2019 (born on or after January 1, 1981); Applicant must: be a naturalized citizen or permanent resident (green card holder) of the United States; be a holder of an H1B or O-1 visa and have been living and working in the United States for at least 5 years; or have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA); Applicant must not be enrolled as a full-time student; Applicant must have published at least one full-length book (not self-published); Applicant must intend to pursue a professional career in the United States; Applicant must not be a past winner of the Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise.
Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
Prize: $50,000.
Deadline: June 10, 2019.
JULY 2023
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: July 1, 2023.
The Governor General’s Literary Awards. Restrictions: Books must have been written, translated or illustrated by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Genre: Best English-language and the best French-language book will be chosen in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Children’s Literature (text), Children’s Literature (illustrated books) and Translation (from French to English). Prize: $25,000. Deadline: July 31, 2023.
JULY 2022
Books Like Us. Genre: First novel. "The Simon & Schuster adult trade imprint is pleased to announce the second annual BOOKS LIKE US First Novel Contest to facilitate accessibility to underrepresented writers and celebrate the diversity of readers across the United States. As the nation continues to strive for progress, Simon & Schuster aims to help catalyze that change by amplifying voices that represent us, by publishing books like us. A two-week entry period will begin on Tuesday, July 12, 2022. At that time, writers are invited and encouraged to submit 25 pages of an original adult novel via the form on this page. The publisher welcomes inclusive, entertaining, and groundbreaking reads with expert pacing, depth, heart, and irresistible characters who leap from the page. At the end of the submission period, the editorial, marketing, and publicity teams at Simon & Schuster will review all submissions for originality, relevance to today’s publishing climate, and writing quality." Prize: In January 2023, the author of the selected novel will be awarded the opportunity to enter into a $50,000 book deal with Simon & Schuster." Deadline: July 26, 2022.
Boroondara Literary Awards. Restrictions: Open to Australians. Genre: Short fiction and poetry. Prize: More than $5,000 in prize money across various age groups in the Young Writers’ category. More than $3,500 in prize money in the Open Short Story category. Deadline: July 29, 2022.
Gasher First Book Scholarship.
Restrictions: Open to US residents. Genre: First book.
Prize: $250. This scholarship is to provide financial assistance to a writer submitting their first book.
Deadline: July 29, 2022.
Singapore Unbound. Restrictions: Open to undergraduates. Genre: Critical essays on topics in Singapore literature. Prize: $250. Deadline: July 31, 2022.
Foley Young Poets of the Year. Restrictions: Open to 11 – 17 year olds everywhere.
Genre: Poetry.
Prize: "Winners receive a bunch of exciting prizes and will be published by The Poetry Society."
Deadline: July 31, 2022.
Superlative Literary Journal. Genre: Mini-Saga. Exactly 50 words (including the title). Theme: Futures. Payment: £10. Deadline: July 31, 2022.
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: July 31, 2022. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.
Ann Petry Award. Restrictions: Open to Black authors. Genre: Previously unpublished prose, either a novel or a collection of short stories or novellas, with a minimum of 150 pages. Prize: $3000 and publication. Deadline: July 31, 2022.
Tilted House: 1BR / 3BATH Poetry Chapbook Contest.
Genre: Poetry chapbook, 16 - 35 pages of "experimental, puckish, political, funny, playful, polemical, and/or uncomfortable. In a word: anti-poetry. While there is no theme, per se, we are hungry for work that twists the arm of poetry’s status quo. We like meta poetics, satire, work that is aware of itself and what’s in the air. Maybe you “don’t know what you’re doing” or feel like your work is “unpublishable.” Send it to us! Give us your freaky. Give us your fun."
Prize: $200.
Deadline: July 31, 2022.
Rachel Wetzsteon Chapbook Award. Genre: Poetry collection, around 30 pages. Prize: $1010.10 publication, and 25 copies. Deadline: July 31, 2022. Entry is free until July 31, after that there is a fee.
Briefly Write. Genre: Poetry up to 10 lines. Prize: 1st – £30 / 2nd – £15 / 3rd (x3) – £5. Deadline: July 31, 2022.
Crossing the Tees. Genre: Short story, 3000 words max. Prize: "Cash award." Deadline: July 31, 2022.
#GWstorieseverywhere.
Genre: Micro fiction or essay on theme of Kid Stuff. 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: July 31, 2022.
Landfall Essay Competition.
Restrictions: Open to New Zealand writers.
Genre: Essay about New Zealand.
Prize: The winner will receive $3000 and a year’s subscription to Landfall.
Deadline: July 31, 2022.
SLF Diverse Writers and Diverse Worlds Grants.
Restrictions: Open to writers from underrepresented and underprivileged groups, such as writers of color, women, queer writers, disabled writers, working-class writers, etc. -- those whose marginalized identities may present additional obstacles in the writing / publishing process.
Genres: Book-length works (novels, collections of short stories) of speculative fiction.
Prize: $500.
Deadline: July 31, 2022.
Platt Family Scholarship Prize Essay Contest.
Restrictions: Open to students who are FULL TIME, undergraduate students in an AMERICAN COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY during the Spring 2021 semester.
Genre: Essay on topic: “The year 2022 is the anniversary of the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial. How has the whole question of memorializing leading figures of the Civil War, including Lincoln, changed in the hundred years since then?”
Prize: 1st Prize $1500 | 2nd Prize $750 | 3rd Prize $500.
Deadline: July 31, 2022.
Biopage.
Genre: Personal essays about the pandemic.
Prizes: Up to $1000.
Deadline: July 31, 2022.
Lune Spark Young Writers' Short Story Contest.
Restrictions: Open to writers 10-13 years old, and 13-16 years old. (Two categories.)
Genre: Short story.
Prize: $500 for first place; $250, 2nd place; $100, 3rd place.
Deadline: July 31, 2022.
Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales Poetry Prize.
Restrictions: Poets living in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington D.C., or West Virginia.
Genre: Poetry.
Prize: $500, publication by Broadkill River Press, ten author copies, and two cases of Dogfish Head craft beer.
Deadline: July 31, 2022.
The Washburn Chapbook Prize.
Restrictions: Open to women or non-binary writers.
Genre: Chapbook exactly 10 poems long.
Prize: $200 and publication of their micro chapbook online at Harbor Review.
Deadline: July 31, 2022.
Fees are waived for BIPOC identifying writers only.Kit Sora Flash Fiction Photography Contest.
Restrictions: Open to residents in the Atlantic Provinces.
Genre: Flash fiction inspired by a Kit Sora photo, 250 words max.
Prize: 10 cents/word.
Deadline: July 31, 2022.
Jan Garton 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: July 31, 2022.
1455’s Third Teen Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Writers aged 13-19.
Genre: Poetry. The theme for this year’s contest is “Finding Community During Crisis,” and the work should be a reflection on or reaction to the contemporary sociopolitical and cultural environment (including but not limited to #BLM, #MeToo, COVID, etc.). Prize: $5,000. Deadline: July 1, 2021.
Lewis Carroll Society Ellis S. Hillman Award. Genre: Write a ‘missing’ chapter for either Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland or Through the Looking-Glass. You can create new characters or re-use existing characters; create new scenarios or use an existing scenario and follow on. Prize: Three prizes of £100 each for three separate age groups – up to 16 yrs old, 16-20, over 20 yrs. Entries to be between 500 to 2000 words, depending on age. Deadline: July 3, 2021.
Thirty West: Broadside Contest. Genre: Up to 2 poems or prose (flash fiction or CNF) pieces that fit on an 8.5"x11" paper (A4 size). Prize: $40 and 25 copies, Deadline: July 4, 2021.
Sustainability First Writing Prize 2021.
Restrictions: Open to all living British writers and international writers living, working, or studying in the UK, over the age of 18 years.
Genre: Article, a personal account, an essay, a short story, or a poem. Written entries will need to look at both climate change and fairness in society. This year's theme is: 'Together for a Fair Climate Future.' We want to hear writers’ imaginative visions, creative ideas and practical steps for societal change, with pieces of writing that respond to the question: “How do we achieve meaningful social changes in the UK to tackle the climate crisis and develop a fairer society?“
Prize: £1,000 with £500 for second prize and £300 for third prize.
Deadline: July 10, 2021.
Undiscovered Voices. Restrictions: Current members of SCBWI who live in the UK or one of the current countries of the EU or the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries. Genre: Opening of an already completed novel for children, aimed at any age from 5 years through to Young Adult. You may submit up to 4,000 words – choosing a suitable place to stop your extract. Prize: Publication. Deadline: July 18, 2021.
James Berry Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to poets of colour, who are UK residents (permanently reside in the UK: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man) who have not yet published a book-length collection, with special consideration given to LGBTQ+/disabled poets and poets from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. Genre: Poetry. Prize: 3 equal winners each receive £1,000 prize, expert mentoring & debut collection published with Bloodaxe Books. Deadline: July 31, 2021.
JULY 2019
Vincent Buckley Poetry Prize.
Restrictions: Open to Irish poets.
Genre: Poetry.
Prize: $12,000 for an Irish poet to travel to Australia in 2020.
Deadline: July 8, 2019. Will be open in May 2021.
Submerging Writer Fellowship.
Restrictions: Writers who have never published a book or won any major writing awards, and who are not currently studying in an MFA or PhD program and "you battle daily the barriers of luck, society, fate, a curse, the cosmos, some major setback, or all of the above."
Genre: Everything?
Prize: $1,000 ($500 prize and up to $500 to be used toward expenses associated with attending a conference, workshop, class, or retreat).
Deadline: July 31, 2019.
AUGUST 2023
Scotiabank Giller Prize.
Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English between July 1, 2023, and September 30, 2023. 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: August 11, 2023.
AUGUST 2022
Otherwise Award.
Genre: Work that is changing the way we think about gender through speculative narrative.
Prize: $500.
Deadline: Summer 2022.
Leeway Foundation Art and Change Grants. Restrictions: Open to women and trans artists in Greater Philadelphia to fund art for social change projects. People living in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia counties Delaware who are 18 years of age or older and who are not full-time students in a degree-granting arts program are eligible.
Genres: Art in traditional or nontraditional modes, mediums or disciplines. Prize: $2500. Deadline: August 1, 2022.
Source Writing Prize.
Restrictions: Open to writers who have not written for Source before.
Genre: Book reviews, exhibition reviews or texts introducing sets of pictures, so these would be good models to follow. "But we are also interested in others forms of writing so if you want to submit something in a different form then please do."
Prize: £500 / 570 euro.
Deadline: August 1, 2022.
Oregon Literary Fellowships. Two fellowships (one $10,000 grant and one $3,500 grant) are reserved specifically for writers of color. There are also fellowships for women/gender-nonconforming writers as well as special fellowships for fiction writers who have lived in Oregon over the past 5 years.
Deadline: August 5, 2022.
Peter Blazey Fellowship.
Restrictions: Applicants must either be an Australian citizen or have Australian residency.
Genre: Non-fiction in the fields of autobiography, biography or life writing.
Prize: $15 000, and a one-month writer-in-residency at The Australia Centre.
Deadline: August 8, 2022.
Stone Canoe.
Restrictions: Open to people who live or have lived in Upstate New York (not New York City).
Genres: Drama, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art.
Prize: $500 and publication.
Deadline: August 8, 2022 for poetry. (It is difficult to find this information on their website.)
Deborah Cass Prize for Writing (Australia).
Restrictions: Applicants must: (a) be early career writers with fewer than 10 publications (articles, short stories or poetry) and no full-length book published or contracted for publication; (b) have either been born overseas or have at least one parent who was born overseas (and certify this on the application form); and (c) not be employees or Board members of Writers Victoria at the time of entry.
Genre: Fiction or creative nonfiction.
Prize: $3,000 plus a three-month mentorship with an established writer, and two runners-up will receive $1,000 each.
Deadline: August 10, 2022.
Spectator Comp No. 3262: Initial embarrassment. You are invited to submit a poem on behalf of Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss in which they set out their stall, but in which the first letters of each line inadvertently spell out an inappropriate word or phrase. Please email entries of up to 16 lines to lucy@spectator.co.uk by midday on 10 August.
Prize: £30.
Deadline: August 10, 2022. (Note: Scroll down)
Waterford Poetry Prize.
Restrictions: Open to residents of Ireland.
Genre: Poem.
Prize: First prize is €400 plus attendance at a designated writing course.
Deadline: August 12, 2022.
4thWrite Short Story Prize.
Restrictions: Open to Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic writers aged 18+ living in the UK or Ireland.
Genre: Short story, 6,000 words maximum.
Prize: £1,000, a one-day publishing workshop at 4th Estate and publication of their story on the Guardian website.
Deadline: August 14, 2022.
Apparition Lit.
Genre: Flash fiction between 1k words max based on the theme.
Prize: $30.
Deadline: August 14, 2022.
Wintermute Lit.
Restrictions: Open to emerging writers who have not published a full-length manuscript or chapbook. The work you submit can have been previously published but not awarded large national/international awards.
Genre: Speculative fiction, maximum of 4500 words.
Prize: Winners receive cash prizes, speculative books of their choice, and publication in Wintermute.
Deadline: August 14, 2022.
Reprints accepted.
The Yale Drama Series.
Genre: Original, unpublished full-length plays, with a minimum of 65 pages.
Prize: $10,000.
Deadline: August 15, 2022.
Lee & Low Books New Voices Award is sponsored by Lee &Low Publishers.
Restrictions: The contest is open to writers of color who are residents of the United States and who have not previously had a children’s picture book published.
Genre: Children's books - fiction, nonfiction or poetry.
Prize: $1,000 and publication.
Deadline: August 15, 2022.
The Gotham “Manuscript-to-Market” Fellowship.
Restrictions: Open to people of color who have completed a book manuscript (or nonfiction book proposal) and are ready to go to market with their book. Three fellowships will be offered every year.
Prize: Admittance to the Gotham Writers Conference—the panels and presentations as well as a seat at a pitching roundtable with two agents in your genre. The Gotham course How to Get Published or Nonfiction Book Proposal. A one-on-one Agent Evaluation session and a Query Letter Coaching session, both with a literary agent.
Deadline: August 15, 2022.
Quarterly West.
Genre: Poetry chapbook.
Prize: $500.
Deadline: August 15, 2022.
Ligonier Valley Writers.
Genre: Flash fiction on theme of "mermaids, selkies, and other water dwellers";1000 words max.
Prize: The first prize winner will receive $50, second prize $25, and third prize $15.
Deadline: August 15, 2022.
Literature Matters.
Restrictions: UK residents.
Genre: "Awards will be given to individual writers or other literary creators, recognising their past achievements and providing them with financial support to undertake a proposed new piece of writing or literary project. Launched as part of the RSL’s new Literature Matters programme, priority will be given to proposals which (a) will help connect with audiences or topics outside the usual reach of literature, and/or (b) will help generate public discussion about why literature matters."
Award: £20,000.
Deadline: August 24, 2022.
Solarpunk Microfiction Contest.
Genre; Microfiction, 250 words max.
Prize: $25 and publication on the Solarpunk Magazine website.
Deadline: August 25, 2022.
See theme.
Opens August 19.
Women's Prize for Fiction.
Genre: Published novel by a woman. Entrants must be writing in English and must be published in the UK between 1 April 2022 and 30 September 2022. All subject matters and women of any age, from any nationality or country of residence are eligible.
Prize: £30,000.00.
Deadline: August 26, 2022.
Writing Competition: The Story I Needed To Have Read.
Genre: Short story - in any genre, fiction or fact - that helped or would have helped you at a pivotal moment in your life.
Prize: One winner will receive up to $2000 worth of training and coaching with Exisle Academy,and publication on the website.
Deadline: August 28, 2022.
Frank O’Connor International Short Story Fellowship.
Restrictions: Open to writers living within Munster and a commuting distance from Cork City. "The Short Story Fellow must have at least two full-length works of fiction published at the time of deadline, of which at least one must be a short story collection. The ideal candidate will be a writer respected by peers and experienced in the giving of writing workshops."
Genre: Short fiction.
Fellowship: A stipend of €8000, in four monthly instalments of €2000.
Deadline: August 29, 2022.
The Canadian Women Artists’ Award.
Restrictions: Open to Canadian women living in New York who are between the ages of 21 and 35 before the application deadline.
Genre: Fiction, poetry.
Grant: $5,000.
Deadline: August 30, 2022.
Debra E. Bernhardt Labor Journalism Prize.
Genre: Article that furthers the understanding of the history of working people. Articles focused on historical events AND articles about current issues (work, housing, organizing, health, education) that include historical context are both welcome. The work should be published in print or online between August 31, 2021 and August 30, 2022.
Prize: $1000.
Deadline: August 30, 2022.
Arena Fantasy Magazine Competition.
Genre: Fantasy. Theme: Gladiatorial Battle. "Your MC has been captured and put to fight in the Arena. Choose their path. Do they win or do they die? Word Count - up to 2500 (not including title)
Prize: First place wins an annual subscription to AFM. The 2nd & 3rd place will get a free issue. All entries will be considered for publication in an anthology as well as published in the magazine."
Deadline: August 31, 2022. (Note: Scroll down)
Kit Sora Flash Fiction Photography Contest.
Restrictions: Open to residents in the Atlantic Provinces.
Genre: Flash fiction inspired by a Kit Sora photo, 250 words max.
Prize: 10 cents/word.
Deadline: August 31, 2022.
Surging Tide.
Genre: Poetry, prose, visual art on theme: Synthesis.
Prize: The winner of each category will be awarded $100 and each runner-up will also be awarded $25.
Deadline: August 31, 2022.
Storyhouse.
Genre: Biographical nonfiction. Stories must be true, not semi-fictional accounts. 1000 - 10,000 words in length. Stories must be suitable for children.
Prize: $200.
Deadline: August 31, 2022.
Poetry Archive NOW! WordView 2022.
Genre: Poetry. "Make a video/film recording of yourself reading or reciting a single poem which you have written in 2022."
Prize: £100.
Deadline: August 31, 2022.
Eugene Paul Nassar Poetry Prize.
Genre: Poetry collection (in English), at least 48 pages long, published between July 1 of the previous year and June 30 of the deadline year by an upstate New York author.
Prize: $2000.
Deadline: August 31, 2022.
What’s Your Story? Restrictions: Open to Victorian residents. (Australia)
Genre: Poetry, short stories, CNF.
Prize: $500
. Deadline: August 31, 2022.
Kindle Storyteller Award (UK).
Restrictions: The prize is open to all authors who publish their book through Kindle Direct Publishing on Amazon.co.uk.
Genre: Book.
Prize: £20,000.
Deadline: August 31, 2022.
Preservation Foundation Essay Contest for Unpublished Writers.
Restrictions: The contest is open to writers whose creative writing has never produced revenues of over $750 in any single year.
Genre: Biographical Nonfiction.
Prize: First prize is $200. Runners-up will receive $100. Finalists will receive $50.
Deadline: August 31, 2022.
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: August 31, 2022.
Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.
Sunday Times Charlotte Aitken Young Writer of the Year Award.
Restrictions: Open to authors aged 18-35 as of December 31 of the deadline year. Books must have been first published in the UK and/or the Republic of Ireland, in the English language, between June 23 of the preceding year and August 31 of the deadline year. Authors must be UK or Irish citizens, or residents for the three years preceding the award.
Genre: Published or self-published book of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction.
Prize: £10,000.
Deadline: August 31, 2022.
Temperatures Rising Contest.
Genre: Flash fiction on theme of temperatures rising, figuratively or literally. Your story must be no longer than 99 words.
Prize: Free Gotham class.
Deadline: August 31, 2022.
YORKSHIRE PRIZE: The Good Old Days.
Restrictions: The Yorkshire Prize is open to residents of Yorkshire, UK.
Genre: Short story set in Yorshire, maximum word count of 2000 per entry.
Prize: £100, and two further commendations of £25.
Deadline: August 31, 2022.
#GWstorieseverywhere.
Genre: Micro fiction or essay on theme of Dreamy. 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: August 31, 2022.
Jack Grapes Poetry Prize.
Genre: Poetry.
Prize: WINNERS will receive $200 each, plus publication. FINALISTS will receive $50 each, plus publication.
Deadline: August 31, 2022.
Harvill Secker Young Translators' Prize.
Restrictions: Open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 34.
Genre: Short story translation. This year the focus language is Indonesian and entrants will translate an excerpt from the novel Dua Muka Daun Pintu by Triskaidekaman.
Prize: £1,000.
Deadline: August 31, 2022.
AUGUST 2021
AUGUST 2020
Nan Snow Emerging Writer Award.
Restrictions: Open to emerging women-identifying writers.
Genre: Any and all fields and genres are accepted.
Prize: $500 top prize.
Deadline: August 15, 2020.
SEPTEMBER 2022
Smokelong Fellowship for Emerging Writers. Restrictions: All writers previously unpublished in SmokeLong Quarterly and who do not have a published chapbook or book-length work in any genre (or are not under contract for such) are eligible to apply. Genre: Flash fiction (1000 words max). Prize: $500. Deadline: Opens Sept 1 (The application fee is $8. For writers who cannot afford an application fee, there is a free submission option in Submittable.)
Stories Out of School.
Genre: Flash fiction. The story’s protagonist, or its narrator, must be a K-12 teacher. Stories must be between 6 and 749 words and previously unpublished.
Prize: First-prize winners receive $1000; second-prize winners, $500.
Deadline: September 1, 2022.
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: The Environmental Poet of the Year will have their short portfolio of poems published in a pamphlet that will be sold by Wordsworth Grasmere and the British Library. They will also receive £1,000, and be invited to read at a winner’s event at Wordsworth Grasmere.
Deadline: September 1, 2022.
American-Scandinavian Foundation Translation Prizes.
Genre: English translations of poetry, fiction, drama, or literary prose originally written in Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, or Swedish by a Scandinavian author born after 1800.
Prize: $2,500.
Deadline: Sept 1, 2022.
AILACT Essay Prize.
Genre: Papers related to the teaching or theory of informal logic or critical thinking, and papers on argumentation theory.
Prize: $700 top prize.
Deadline: September 1, 2022.
PEN Prison Writing Contest.
Restrictions: Anyone incarcerated in a federal, state, or county prison in the year before the September 1 deadline is eligible to enter.
Genres: Poetry, fiction, drama, creative nonfiction.
Prize: $100 - $250 prize per category.
Deadline: September 1, 2022.
On The Premises Short Story Contest. "For this contest, write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which the story’s main character(s) spend most (even better, all) of the story’s time in constant motion. For instance, they could spend the whole story in a moving vehicle. There are plenty of other ways to do it, too. (Just being on the Earth, which is spinning and moving around the sun, doesn’t count.)"
Prize: Winners receive between US$75 and US$250, and publication.
Deadline: September 2, 2022.
Furious Fiction.
Genre: Flash fiction, 500 words max. "On each competition weekend, we’ll reveal a set of story prompts and you’ll have 55 hours to submit your best story of 500-words (or fewer)."
Prize: $500AUD.
Deadline: Opens September 2, 2022. Closes September 5, 2022. (Australian time)
September Selects. Restrictions: Open to any author, new or emerging, who has not yet published a novel with a major press. Genre: Unpublished fiction and narrative non-fiction between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Prize: $200. Deadline: September 4, 2022.
Los Suelos. Genre: Short fiction on theme: Pets. Prize: $150. Deadline: September 5, 2022.
Neilma Sidney Literary Travel Fund.
Restrictions: Australian citizens or residents. Applicants must be emerging, midcareer or established Australian writers and literary sector workers (not beginners) with a demonstrated publication and/or career history
. Prize: $10,000 for travel expenses.
Deadline: September 5, 2022.
The Spectator.
Genre: Poem. "To mark the centenary this month of Philip Larkin’s birth, you are invited to re–imagine one of his poems (please specify) in the style of a poet of your choice." Please email your entries to lucy@spectator.co.uk.
Prize: £30.
Deadline: September 7, 2022.
The Blackness on Sea Poetry Prize.
Genre: Poem. "The Blackness on Sea Poetry Prize is a quest to find a poem of genuine literary merit to become a lasting legacy for The Lobster Pot Pub and this delightful Village on the Firth of Forth."
Prize: £1000.
Deadline: September 7, 2022.
KSP Short Fiction Competition.
Restrictions: Open to Australian residents and citizens.
Genre: Short fiction.
Prize: $100 first place prize for youth.
Deadline: September 8, 2022. (Free entry for youth only)
Young Lions Fiction Award.
Restrictions: Open to US citizens 35 years of age or younger.
Genre: Novel or a collection of short stories. Each year, five young fiction writers are selected as finalists by a reading committee of Young Lions members, writers, editors, and librarians. Submissions by publisher only. Authors may not submit their own work.
Prize: $10,000.00.
Deadline: September 9, 2022.
September Selects.
Restrictions: Open to any author, new or emerging, who has not yet published a novel with a major press.
Genre: "Submit your best prose in borrowed forms. Lists, letters, board game rules, message board posts, meeting minutes, diary entries, text messages, emails—any experimental or unconventional approach to narrative form is welcome Submissions of up to 7,000 words will be considered, but shorter is likely better (say, around 3,000 words)."
Prize: $200.
Deadline: September 11, 2022.
Secret Life of Data: Short Story Competition.
Genre: Short story. "We are looking for creative stories that bring to life the secret life of data – perhaps imagining this life as a journey, a quest, a romance, or a tragedy; thinking of a computer’s internal architecture as a house, a jungle, a zoo, or a city; and the data as characters facing danger in the form of various digital threats and vulnerabilities."
Prize: 1st prize - £1000, 2nd prize - £500, 3rd prize - £250.
Deadline: September 12, 2022.
RSL Giles St Aubyn Awards for Non-Fiction.
Restrictions: The writer must be a resident of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or have been a resident in the UK or ROI for the past three years.
Genre: Nonfiction book.
Prize: Two awards – one of £10,000, one of £5,000 – are offered to support writers to complete their first commissioned works of non-fiction.
Deadline: September 14, 2022.
Apparition Lit.
Genre: Speculative fiction; under 1,000 words based on prompt.
Prize: $30.
Deadline: September 14, 2022.
Forge Flash Prose Competition.
Genre: Flash fiction and CNF, 1000 words max.
Prize: $500 and publication.
Deadline: September 14, 2022.
Submit early in the month!
US Naval Institute and CIMSEC Fiction Essay Prize. Genre: Essay. Length: 3,000 words max. "Fiction is a powerful tool for testing hypotheticals and imagining other worlds as a means of examining our own. Once again, CIMSEC and the U.S. Naval Institute have partnered to invite authors to ask "What if?" as a means of exploring different visions of the future of maritime security."
Prize: First Prize: $500 and a 1-year membership in the Naval Institute and CIMSEC. Second Prize: $300 and a 1-year membership in the Naval Institute and CIMSEC. Third Prize: $200 and a 1-year membership in the Naval Institute and CIMSEC.
Deadline: September 15, 2022.
The Russell Freedman Award for Nonfiction for a Better World.
Genre: Any nonfiction book published for children or young adults, released between January 1 and December 31, 2022, is eligible. If both an author and illustrator are listed on the book cover, the prize will be split between them.
Prize: $2500 plus $1000 to purchase copies of the winning book for distribution to schools and libraries.
Deadline: September 15, 2022.
Falconer 150 Essay Competition.
Genre: Essay relating to Hugh Falconer’s life or the museum bearing his name.
Prize: £150.
Deadline: September 15, 2022.
The Mollie Savage Memorial Writing Contest. Genre: Science fiction/fantasy short story. Prize: Winning stories are published in Toasted Cheese. If 50 or fewer eligible entries are received, first place receives a $35 Amazon gift card & second a $10 Amazon gift card. If 51 or more eligible entries are received, first place receives a $50 Amazon gift card, second a $15 Amazon gift card & third a $10 Amazon gift card. Deadline: September 18, 2022.
September Selects.
Restrictions: Open to any author, new or emerging, who has not yet published a novel with a major press.
Genre: "Submit your best prose—fiction and CNF—told in the second person. We’re NOT looking for first person-direct address. Submissions up to 7,000 words will be considered)."
Prize: $200.
Deadline: September 18, 2022.
Solarpunk Microfiction Contest.
Genre; Microfiction, 250 words max.
Prize: $25 and publication on the Solarpunk Magazine website.
Deadline: September 22, 2022.
See theme.
Opens September 16.
Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction.
Restrictions: Open to residents of UK.
Genre: Short stories between 2000-6000 words on the theme "Music."
Prize: £500 and 10 shortlisted authors will be published in an ebook anthology.
Deadline: September 22, 2022.
Michael Marks Illustration Award. will recognise outstanding illustration of a poetry pamphlet published between September 18th 2021 and the closing date of September 23rd 2022. 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: September 23, 2022.
September Selects.
Restrictions: Open to any author, new or emerging, who has not yet published a novel with a major press.
Genre: "We’re bucking the Valentine’s Day tradition and celebrating anti-love. The winner of this submission call will be published on the 14th of February. Submit your best stories, fiction or CNF, that fit the theme of anti-love: breakups good and bad, celebrations of single life, or however you want to interpret this idea. Submissions up to 7,000 words will be considered."
Prize: $200.
Deadline: September 25, 2022.
Shady Grove Literary.
Genre: Any style, genre, tone of flash fiction. Length: 300 words max.
Prize: $100.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.
Rattle Ekphrastic Challenge.
Genre: Poem inspired by artwork. (See site for image.)
Prize: $100.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.
This is a monthly contest.
Olde Wolf Short Story Contest.
Genre: Short story. Length: 3,000 words max.
Prize: $100.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.
This is a monthly contest.
Backchannels.
Genre: Fiction. Length: Up to 3500 words.
Prize: Unspecified.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.
From The Horse’s Mouth.
Genre: Short story.
Prize: Total prize of £150, £100 for the Adult Winner and £50 for the Younger Entrant’s Winner.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.
Solstice Shorts Competition: Hiatus.
Genre: Flash or poem (max 500 words) on the theme of Hiatus. Prize: Royalties.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.
Note: Contest closes after 50 submissions. Submit early!
Sejong International Sijo Competition.
Genre: Sijo poem.
Prize: $500.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.
The Willie Morris Awards for Southern Fiction and Nonfiction.
Genre: Novels and nonfiction books published in 2022. Book has to be set in one of the original eleven states in the Confederacy. (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.)
Prize: $2,500.00.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.
Art of Unity Creative Award.
Genre: Poetry; essays and short stories (under 2500 words); video; music; dance; performance or visual work around the theme: “Never again: Remembering to heal and overcome.” "The most important hallmark of Holocaust remembrance and education is the phrase ‘never again.’ Unfortunately, tribal divisions, ethnic cleansing and genocides continue in the 21st Century. We are looking for submissions in any creative media (which can be exhibited online), and which highlight aspects of human unity, and positive cross-pollination between groups, ethnicities, religions and/or nations."
Prize: First ($100), Second ($75) and Third ($50) place awards, as well as three honorable mentions, in four categories: Poetry, Short Story, Essay. and Youth (18 and under) category.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.
Iowa Short Fiction and John Simmons Short Fiction Awards.
Restrictions: Any writer who has not previously published a volume of prose fiction is eligible to enter the competition.
Genre: Short story collection. The manuscript must be a collection of short stories in English of at least 150 word-processed, double-spaced pages.
Prize: Publication by the University of Iowa Press, royalties.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.
Cullman Center Fellowships.
Fellowship. The Cullman Center’s Selection Committee awards up to 15 fellowships a year to outstanding scholars and writers—academics, independent scholars, journalists, and creative writers. Foreign nationals conversant in English are welcome to apply.
Award: A stipend of up to $70,000, an office, a computer, and full access to the Library's physical and electronic resources.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.
SLF Working Class Writers Grant.
Genre: Speculative fiction. "These grants are awarded annually, since 2013, to assist writers of speculative literature to working class, blue-collar, poor, and homeless writers who have been historically underrepresented in speculative fiction, due to the financial barriers which have made it much harder for them to have access to the writing world. Such lack of access might include an inability to attend conventions, to purchase a computer, to buy books, to attend college or high school, to have the time to write (if, for example, you must work two jobs simply to pay rent and feed a family, or if you must spend all your waking hours job-hunting for months on end). "
Prize: $1000.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.
L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest is held four times a year.
Restrictions: The Contest is open only to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, in any medium. Professional publication is deemed to be payment of at least six cents per word, and at least 5,000 copies, or 5,000 hits.
Genre: Short stories or novelettes of science fiction or fantasy.
Prizes: $1,000, $750, $500, Annual Grand Prize: $5,000.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.
Art of Unity Creative Award.
Genre: Literary (poetry; essays and short stories under 2500 words); video; music; dance; performance or visual work around the theme: “Never again: Remembering to heal and overcome.” All pieces must be previously unpublished.
Prize: First ($100), Second ($75) and Third ($50) place awards, as well as three honorable mentions, in four categories: Poetry, Short Story, Essay. and Youth (18 and under) category.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.
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: September 30, 2022.
Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.
Patricia Eschen Prize for Poetry.
Genre: Poetry. Poems can be on any subject that kindles your imagination, to a maximum line length of 40 lines for each poem.
Prize: Adults (over 16): 1st prize: £1000. Children (under 16): 1st prize: £150.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.
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: September 30, 2022.
The John Byrne Award.
Restrictions: Open to residents of Scotland over 16 years old.
Genre: A piece of creative work on a chosen theme or value (written work must be no more than 15,000 words in length).
Prize: £250.
Deadline: September 30, 2022.
This is a monthly contest.
SEPTEMBER 2021
Lee Smith Novel Prize.
Genre: Novel (no genre fiction).
Prize: $1,000 and publication.
Deadline: September 1, 2021.
Biennial prize.
IWSG.
Genre: Science Fiction. Theme: Dark Matter. Word count: 4500-6000.
Prize: The winning stories will be edited and published by Dancing Lemur Press' imprint Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title.
Deadline: September 1, 2021.
#PitMad Pitch Party. #PitMad is a pitch party on Twitter where writers tweet a 280-character pitch for their completed, polished, unpublished manuscripts. Agents and editors make requests by liking/favoriting the tweeted pitch. Every unagented writer is welcome to pitch. All genres/categories are welcomed.
Deadline: September 2, 2021.
Lincoln Book Festival Flash Fiction Competition.
Genre: Flash fiction. "Lincoln Book Festival’s Flash Fiction Competition challenges authors of all ages to produce their own ultra short stories of exactly 50 words – no more, no less – on a given theme or genre."
Prize: £30 in book vouchers for winners in three age categories.
Deadline: September 10, 2021.
Hektoen International Grand Prix Essay Competition.
Genre: Original essay that relates medicine to the humanities. Topics might include art, history, literature, education, etc. as they relate to medicine.1,500 words max.
Prize: $5,000 for the winner and $2,500 for the runner-up.
Deadline: Sept 15, 2021.
Patricia Dobler Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to women writers over the age of 40 who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, currently living in the U.S., who have not published a full-length book of poetry, fiction, or non-fiction. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $2,500 top prize and publication of the winning poem in Voices from the Attic. Deadline: September 30, 2021.
Opens in late summer.
TCU Texas Book Award.
Genre: Book of fiction, nonfiction, art or photography about Texas, published in the past three years.
Prize: $5000.
Deadline: September 30, 2021.
Bergen International Essay Competition. Restrictions: Open to everybody under the age of 30.
Genre: Essay on theme of My Generation. Prize: The winner will receive EUR 2 500. Three runners up each receive EUR 500.
Deadline: September 30, 2021.
SEPTEMBER 2020
Artist Trust: La Salle Storyteller Award.
Restrictions: Open to residents of Washington State. Students enrolled in a degree-granting program are ineligible.
Genre: Fiction.
Grant: $10,000.
Deadline: September 14, 2020.
SEPTEMBER 2019
Salisbury Story Prize.
Genre: Short fiction (500 words) on theme of "Rivers." Open to ages 4 and up.
Prize: £50 for children to be spent at Waterstones. Free online course for adults.
Deadline: September 30, 2019. "
We are not running in 2022 but will be back!"
OCTOBER 2023
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: October 1, 2023.
The Glenna Luschei Prize for African Poetry, sponsored by the African Poetry Book Fund and in partnership with the literary journal,
Prairie Schooner, is the only one of its kind in the world and was established to promote African poetry written in English or in translation and to recognize a significant book published each year by an African poet. A standard edition is 48 pages or more in length.
Genre: Open to any book of original poetry, in English, published during 2015 in a standard edition by a full-length collection of poetry.
Restrictions: African nationals, African residents, or poet of African parentage with roots from any country, living anywhere in the world.
Prize: USD $5,000.
Deadline: October 1, 2023.
Storyhouse: Preservation Foundation Essay Contest for Unpublished Writers.
Restrictions: The contest is open to writers whose creative writing has never produced revenues of over $500 in any single year. First prize winners of previous contests, while ineligible for prizes in regular contests, can compete in this one.
Genre: Nonfiction.
Prize: First prize is $100. Runners-up will receive $50.
Deadline: October 31, 2023.
Ginosko Flash Fiction Contest.
Genre: Flash fiction, 1000 words max. Theme: The Sacred.
Prize: $500.
Deadline: October 1, 2022.
John Pollard Foundation International Poetry Prize. Genre: Published book of poems. Publishers may submit four copies of a debut full-length poetry collection (or bound galleys) published originally in the English language between October 1st 2020 and October 18th 2022. Prize: €10,000 (approximately $11,400) Deadline: October 18, 2022.
Women's Prize for Fiction. Genre: Published novel by a woman. Entrants must be writing in English and must be published in the UK between 1 October 2022 and 31 November 2022.
All subject matters and women of any age, from any nationality or country of residence are eligible. Prize: £30,000.00. Deadline: October 21, 2022.
Solarpunk Microfiction Contest. Genre; Microfiction, 250 words max. Prize: $25 and publication on the Solarpunk Magazine website. Deadline: October 27, 2022. See theme. Opens October 21.
The Marfield Prize, also known as the National Award for Arts Writing, is given annually by the Arts Club of Washington to nonfiction books about the arts written for a broad audience. Genre: Non-fiction book. Self-published books not accepted. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: October 28, 2022.
Zocalo Book Prize. Genre: US-published nonfiction book that best enhances our understanding of community and the forces that strengthen or undermine human connectedness and social cohesion. Prize: $10,000.
Deadline: October 28, 2022.
Storyhouse.
Genre: Nonfiction. Stories must be true, not semi-fictional accounts. 1000 - 10,000 words in length. Stories must be suitable for children. See themes.
Prize: $200.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
Somos En Escrito.
Restrictions:
Writings must be by Americans of indigenous/hispanic background (Native American, Chicano, Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Cuban and other Latin American origin) born in the USA or from Latin America residing in the USA.
Genre: Speculative fiction.
Prize: $100.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
Graybeal-Gowen Prize for Virginia Poets.
Restrictions: Poets living in or born in Virginia, as well as those who have lived in Virginia for two or more years in the past, are eligible.
Genre: Poetry.
Prize: $1000.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
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: October 31, 2022.
Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.
Tell Your Story.
Genre: Creative nonfiction, 5,000 words max. No minimum.
Prize: 1st place ($250), 2nd place ($150), and 3rd place ($100).
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
Diann Blakely National Poetry Competition.
Genre: Poetry.
Prize: $500 and 25 broadsides of their poem, which will also be archived on the University of Georgia English Department website.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
Fearless.
Restrictions: Contest open to residents of Canada and the United States, aged 13+.
Genre: Short fiction (see themes) Story Length: 500-1500 words.
Prize: Youth (13-15) $500 USD; Teen (16-18) $750 USD; Adult(19+) $1000 USD. (There are also prizes for honorable mentions.)
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
The John Byrne Award.
Restrictions: Open to residents of Scotland over 16 years old.
Genre: A piece of creative work on a chosen theme or value (written work must be no more than 15,000 words in length).
Prize: £250.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
This is a monthly contest.
USNI General Prize Essay Contest.
Restrictions: Authors must be USNI members or those eligible for membership.
Genre: Essay "We are living in an era of intense global competition. Renewed great power competition will require the Sea Services to rethink how to address national, strategic, and operational challenges and the way they will have to fight. Authors may address any topic."
Prize: $6,000.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
ACDI Literary Prize.
Restrictions: Open to authors with a disability and/or chronic illness. Authors must be a British national OR resident in Great Britain and Northern Ireland for three years prior to the date of submission for the award, and writing in English and submissions must have been published or self-published in the UK between 1 November 2021 and 31 October 2022.
Genre: Novel which includes a disabled or chronically ill character or characters.
Prize: Winner will receive £1,000 and two runners-up £500 each.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
The Drabble Harvest Contest.
Genre: Drabble on theme of "Out the Airlock." A "drabble" is defined as a short story containing exactly precisely no more and no fewer than 100 words. It has a title, which can be from 1 to 15 words-- but no more than 15.
Prize: $5.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
Preservation Foundation Essay Contest for Unpublished Writers.
Restrictions: The contest is open to writers whose creative writing has never produced revenues of over $750 in any single year.
Genre: Travel Nonfiction.
Prize: First prize is $200. Runners-up will receive $100. Finalists will receive $50.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
Volcano Prize Restrictions: Open to a UK or Irish writer, or a writer currently resident in those countries.
Genre: A novel focusing on the experience of travel away from home. Inspired by Malcolm Lowry’s novel, Under the Volcano and in celebration of its author, the prize aims to inspire literary excellence and encourage writers to travel and to write from the resulting experience. For books published in UK or Ireland between 1 November 2020 and 31 October 2021. Publishers must enter the work.
Prize: The winner will receive £2,000 and the runner-up £750.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
The Barbellion Prize.
Genre: Fiction, memoir, biography, poetry, or critical non-fiction. “The Barbellion Prize is dedicated to the furtherance of ill and disabled voices in writing. The prize is awarded annually to an author whose work has best spoken of the experience of chronic illness and/or disability."
Prize: £600.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction is the most prestigious literary award in the US.
Restrictions: Authors must be living American citizens. Self-published works not accepted.
Genres: Novels, novellas, and collections of short stories.
Prize: $15,000.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
Rattle Ekphrastic Challenge.
Genre: Poem inspired by artwork. (See site for image.)
Prize: $100.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
This is a monthly contest.
The Eric Gregory Awards.
Restrictions: Applicants must be under 30 and a British subject by birth and must ordinarily be resident in the United Kingdom or Northern Ireland.
Genre: Poetry collection. Previously published work accepted.
Prize: £4,000.00.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
Disabled Poets Prize.
Restrictions: Open to deaf and disabled poets aged 18+ currently living full-time in the UK.
Genre: Poetry. Deaf and disabled poets will be able to submit to three categories – best single poem, best unpublished pamphlet, and best poem performed in British Sign Language.
Prize: In each category, there will be a first place prize (£500), second prize (£250), third place prize (£100), and three highly commended entries, (£50).
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
The Young Walter Scott Prize.
Restrictions: Open to UK authors aged 11-19.
Genre: Historical fiction between 800 and 2000 words.
Prizes: £500 travel and research grant to further explore historical places in the UK, and an invitation to the Borders Book Festival in Melrose, Scotland. Two runners-up in each category receive a £100 book token, and all four winning stories are published in a special YWSP anthology book.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
Tom-Gallon Trust Award.
Restrictions: Open to citizens of the United Kingdom, Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland with at least one short story published or accepted for publication.
Genre: Short story, maximum 5,000 words. May be unpublished.
Prize: £1,000.00.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
Lex:lead Essay Competition.
Restrictions: Candidates must show citizenship in an eligible country and be enrolled in studies with at least one law class in an eligible country at the time of the award.
Genre: Essay: How can laws promoting gender and disability rights support economic development?
Prize: $500 scholarship.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
McKitterick Prize.
Restrictions: Open to authors over age 40 on December 31, 2021.
Genre: First novel. The work must have been first published in the UK in the year in which the deadline falls (and not first published abroad), or be unpublished.
Prize: £4,000.00.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
The Young Writers Initiative Manuscript / Chapbook Contest.
Genre: Fiction in any genre, book length. Poetry.
Prize: One winner in each category $225 each.
Deadline: October 31, 2022.
Dear Erica,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for listing Verbolatry Laugh-a-Riot Contest here! Much appreciated.
Best wishes,
Devyani
http://devyaniborade.blogspot.com
@v3rbolatry
The Eastern Iowa Review is sponsoring a Longform Lyric Essay Contest. No reading fee. 2000 - 10,000 words. $250 grand prize and three copies of the issue. One honorable mention may also be chosen, and the author will receive three copies of the issue along with a $50 honorarium. In the off-chance that none of the submissions fit our unique aesthetic, we'll roll over the prize money to next year's award. Enter as many times as you wish, but only submit new material once you've heard back from us. NOTE: Longforms may be a compilation, but we do want new material included, and be sure to mention where previously published excerpts first appeared. http://www.portyonderpress.com/2017-guidelines.html
ReplyDeleteHello there,
ReplyDeleteI am with Striking 13, we are a new book review site that is now hosting a quarterly, free to enter, writing contest.
We would love it if you could add us to your comprehensive list.
http://www.striking13.com/free-writing-contest/
Thank you
Sure, how to enter & what are guidelines?
DeleteClick on the links.
DeleteHi Erica,
ReplyDeleteI'm hosting a monthly contest Getting "Sexy With Food" and was wondering if I could get the information on your site. $50 prize. 500 word count. Creatively Naughty. www.sexywithfood.com
Thanks!
I've included it!
ReplyDeleteHere's another one to please include:
ReplyDeleteAt Radiating You, we know the power of getting people to be real and share their truths. We recently sat down and started writing letters…to ourselves.
A letter filled with truth. A letter filled with forgiveness, reflection, motivation, and love.
Maybe the most important letter you can write is to yourself.
Radiating You is launching our first contest to help encourage you to take the step of actually writing your letter. Top entries will be published on our blog and in a compilation book in 2018. The top three entries will also receive cash prizes: 1st place $100, 2nd place $75, 3rd place $50.
Tune out the noise of the world for a few minutes and write the letter that could really inspire others, but more importantly, inspire yourself.
Make it as short or as long as you feel it needs to be. Just most importantly, write it.
The contest is open through April 7, 2017.
Submissions accepted at http://radiatingyou.com/dear-me-letter-writing-contest/
Hi Kathy, I've included your contest!
ReplyDeleteHi Erica,
ReplyDeleteI just wondered if this competition may be a good addition to the list?
https://www.inkitt.com/novelcontest
Thanks for such a great resource!
Hi Joel, Inkitt isn't really a contest, it's a publisher. So, I can't include it on this list. Sorry.
DeleteHi Erica, please consider adding the Best New Fairy Tale Competition to your list. The competition is being held by Fairytalez.com, the internet's biggest library of fairy tales, fables and folklore. We have over 2,300 stories and now we're taking our love of stories to a new level by adding a self-publishing feature where you can share your stories, favorite other writers' stories and more.
ReplyDeleteWe’re celebrating the launch our self-publishing platform with our first competition, Best New Fairy Tale. The competition runs from the 13th of June till the 15th of August, and writers from all over are invited to submit their original stories to Fairytalez.com’s library of new stories.
Find more information at the following link: http://fairytalez.com/competitions/best-new-fairy-tale-2017/
Thank you!