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Find details about every creative writing competition—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and more—that we’ve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

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Writing Contests, Grants & Awards

• See Recent Winners
• View the Submission Calendar

The Writing Contests, Grants & Awards database includes details about the creative writing contests—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, and more—that we’ve published in Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it. Ours is the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

Southern Poetry Review

Guy owen prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Southern Poetry Review is given annually for a single poem. Submit three to five poems totaling no more than 10 pages with a $20...

University of Georgia Press

Flannery o’connor award for short fiction.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by University of Georgia Press is given annually for a collection of short fiction. Lori Ostlund will judge. Using only the online submission...

The Center for Fiction

Susan kamil emerging writer fellowships.

Nine fellowships of $5,000 each, a one-year membership to the Center for Fiction in New York City, and a year of access to the Writers Studio writing space are given annually...

Anhinga Press

Anhinga prize for poetry.

A prize of $1,000, publication by Anhinga Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Using only the online submission system, submit a manuscript of...

John D. Voelker Foundation

Robert traver fly-fishing writing award.

A prize of $2,500 and publication in American Fly Fisher as well as on the John D. Voelker Foundation and the American Museum of Fly Fishing websites will be given...

Bridport Arts Centre

Bridport prizes.

Two prizes of £5,000 (approximately $6,383) each and publication in the Bridport Prize anthology are given annually for a poem and a short story. A second-place prize of £1,000...

BOA Editions

Short fiction prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by BOA Editions is given annually for a story collection. Peter Conners will judge. Submit a manuscript of 90 to 200 pages with a $30 entry...

Michigan Quarterly Review

James a. winn prize.

A prize of $1,500 and publication in Michigan Quarterly Review will be given annually for an essay or a work of nonfiction in hybrid form. Elizabeth Goodenough will...

Interlochen Center for the Arts

Pattis family foundation creative arts book award.

A prize of $25,000 and a weeklong residency at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Interlochen, Michigan, will be given annually for a book of fiction or nonfiction published in...

Bard College

Bard fiction prize.

A prize of $30,000 and a one-semester appointment as writer-in-residence at Bard College is given annually to a fiction writer under the age of 40. The winner must give at...

Fiction Prize

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Salamander is given annually for a short story. Kevin Wilson will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a story of...

Emerging Poets Contest

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Boulevard is given annually for a group of poems by a poet who has not published a poetry collection with a nationally distributed...

American Short Fiction

Halifax ranch fiction prize.

A prize of $2,500 and publication in American Short Fiction is given annually for a short story. The winner also receives a weeklong, all-expenses-paid writing retreat...

Moon City Press

Poetry award.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Moon City Press is given annually for a poetry collection. The editors will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a...

Western Connecticut State University

Housatonic book awards.

Three prizes of $1,000 each are given annually for books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction published in the previous year. The winners also receive $500 in travel expenses and...

Omnidawn Publishing

Chapbook contest.

A prize of $1,000, publication by Omnidawn Publishing, and 20 author copies is given annually for a poetry chapbook. T.J. Anderson III will judge. Using only the online...

University of Akron Press

Akron poetry prize.

A prize of $1,500 and publication by University of Akron Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Matthew Olzmann will judge. Using only the online submission system,...

42 Miles Press

A prize of $1,000, publication by 42 Miles Press, and 50 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. The winner is also invited to give a reading at University of...

Towson University

Prize for literature.

A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a book of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction by a current resident of Maryland who has lived in the state for at least three years...

Bitter Oleander Press

Library of poetry award.

A prize of $1,500 and publication by Bitter Oleander Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Submit a manuscript of 48 to 80 pages with a $28 entry fee between May 1...

Tusculum Review

Chapbook prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Tusculum Review is given annually for a poetry chapbook, a short story, or an essay. This year’s prize will be awarded in nonfiction...

New American Press 

New american fiction prize.

A prize of $1,500, publication by New American Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a book of fiction. Kalani Pickhart will judge. Using only the online submission...

Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry

Canadian first book prize .

A prize of $10,000 Canadian (approximately $7,405) will be awarded for a debut poetry collection by a living Canadian poet or permanent resident. Publishers may submit four...

Artist Trust

Grants for artist projects.

Grants of $1,500 each will be given annually to poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers who are residents of Washington State. Students enrolled in a degree-granting...

Griffin Poetry Prize

A prize of $130,000 Canadian (approximately $96,268) is given annually for a poetry collection written in or translated into English by a living poet or translator from...

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BOOK REVIEW

Competition, introducing our, newest competition.

The John Locke Institute encourages young people to cultivate the characteristics that turn good students into great writers: independent thought, depth of knowledge, clear reasoning, critical analysis and persuasive style. This brand-new competition invites students of any age, who have not yet begun a university degree, to read and review a book by one of our faculty members. The experience will help you engage actively and closely with a talented author about an important subject. If you are applying to university in the next year or so, this will be a great way to explore exciting ideas beyond the normal high school syllabus.

How does it work?

Choose a book from the list below. Read it, re-read it, reflect on it, and then write a critical review of the book of 1000 to 1500 words. The best reviews will help potential readers understand the main outline of the book's argument, why it is important, its strengths and weaknesses, and whether (in your judgment) the author was persuasive.

What happens if you win?

The best reviews will be published in News & Opinion , the online journal of the John Locke Institute. Everyone whose review is published will receive a prize of $50. The three best reviewers, overall, will win the following prizes:

Third Prize: $100

Second Prize: $250

First Prize: $500 plus a $ 1000 scholarship to one of our summer programmes . 

The deadline for submissions is Monday, 31 May, 2021 at 11:59pm (GMT). Winners will be announced the following month.  We look forward to reading your reviews!

Jason Brennan

Jason F. Brennan is the Robert J. and Elizabeth Flanagan Family Professor of Strategy, Economics, Ethics, and Public Policy at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. Jason Brennan has taught at our Washington DC gap year course in 2018 and 2019.

Against Democracy

In this trenchant book, Brennan argues that democracy should be judged by its results - and the results are not good enough. Just as defendants have a right to a fair trial, citizens have a right to competent government.

"The book makes compelling reading... This is theory that skips, rather than plods." - Molly Sauter, Los Angeles Times

Markets Without Limits: Moral Virtues & Commercial Interests

Jason Brennan and Peter Jaworski give markets a fair hearing. The market does not introduce wrongness where there was not any previously. Contrary to the conservative consensus, they claim there are no inherent limits to what can be bought and sold, but only restrictions on how we buy and sell.

When All Else Fails: the Ethics of Resistance to State Injustice

The economist Albert O. Hirschman famously argued that citizens of democracies have only three possible responses to injustice or wrongdoing by their governments: we may leave, complain, or comply. But in When All Else Fails, Jason Brennan argues that there is a fourth option. When governments violate our rights, we may resist. We may even have a moral duty to do so.

Bryan Caplan

Prof. Caplan is a world-renowned authority on public-choice theory and a professor of Economics at George Mason University. He has taught Economics at our summer schools in 2018 and 2021, and our gap year course in Washington DC in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Open Borders: the Science and Ethics of Immigration

"A clear and inescapable economic, moral, and political case for reopening the borders that artfully counters the common objections." - John H. Cochrane, Hoover Institution at Stanford University

The Case Against Education: Why the Education System is a Waste of Time and Money

"Caplan delivers a tightly knit, compelling indictment of the vastly inflated and scandalously over-priced Ponzi scheme that is American higher education." -  Aram Bakshian Jr. Washington Times

Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies

The greatest obstacle to sound economic policy is not entrenched special interests or rampant lobbying, but the popular misconceptions, irrational beliefs, and personal biases held by ordinary voters. This is economist Bryan Caplan's sobering assessment in this provocative and eye-opening book.

STEVEN LANDSBURG

Steven Landsburg is a professor of economics at the University of Rochester and one of the foremost commentators on matters of economics, the law and politics. Steven Landsburg will teach at our summer schools in 2021.

The Armchair Economist: Economics & Everyday Life  - Economics

The Armchair Economist shows how the laws of economics reveal themselves in everyday experience and illuminate the entire range of human behavior. 

"Enormous fun ... Landsburg has done something extraordinary: he has expounded basic economic principles with with and verve."  -  Fortune

More Sex is Safer Sex: the Unconventional Wisdom of Economics  - Economics

In More Sex is Safer Sex, Professor Landsburg offers readers a series of stimulating discussions that all flow from unsettling economic facts.

"Landsburg is provocative and playful in his mission to demonstrate how an understanding of economics will change the way you live your daily life. I loved this book." - Steven D. Levitt, coauthor of "Freakonomics"

Fair Play: What Your Child Can Teach You about Economics, Values and the Meaning of Life  - Philosophy, Economics

In co-operation with his daughter, Landsburg demystifies the laws of supply and demand, interest rates and inflation, and cultivate an understanding of free trade, the value of money and investment.

David Friedman

Professor Friedman is a professor of law at Santa Clara University in California. He received his PhD from the University of Chicago. Professor Friedman has written many seminal books, including the ones below. He has taught at our summer school in 2018. 

Law's Order: What Economics has to do with Law and Why it Matters   - Law, Economics

This book undoubtedly raises the discourse on the increasingly important topic of the economics of law, giving both supporters and critics of the economic perspective a place to organise their ideas.

"A thoroughly entertaining, creative, and provocative addition to the law and economics literature." - Choice

The Machinery of Freedom: Guide to a Radical Capitalism  - Philosophy, Politics, Economics, Law

This book argues for a society organized by voluntary cooperation under institutions of private property and exchange with little, and ultimately no, government.

Ilya Somin is a law professor at George Mason University, an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, a blogger for the Volokh Conspiracy, and former co-editor of the Supreme Court Economic Review. Professor Somin taught at our gap year course in Washington DC in 2017 and 2018.

Free to Move: Foot Voting, Migration, and Political Freedom  - Politics, Economics

In Free to Move, Ilya Somin explains how broadening opportunities for foot voting can greatly enhance political liberty for millions of people around the world.

"If Jason Brennan's  Against Democracy  met Bryan Caplan's  Open Borders , the result would be Ilya Somin's [ Free to Move]" -  Joakim Book

Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government is Better  - Politics, Economics

Ilya Somin mines the depths of the current state of ignorance in America and reveals it as a major problem for democracy.

"In this [work] Ilya Somin significantly strengthens his already compelling case for a more limited government."  - Christopher Robichaud, Harvard Kennedy School of Government

The Grasping Hand: "Kelo v. City of New London" and the Limits of Eminent Domain  - Law, Economics

In this detailed study of one of the most controversial Supreme Court cases in modern times, Ilya Somin argues that the Supreme Court made a grave error on both economically and morally.

STEPHEN DAVIES

Dr Davies is Head of Education at the Institute of Economic Affairs and Distinguished Fellow in History at the John Locke Institute. Dr Davies has taught on our summer schools every year since 2015, and has taught on our gap year programme in Oxford from 2015-2018, as well as in Princeton in 2018.

The Wealth Explosion: the Nature and Origins of Modernity - Economics, History

How did the modern dynamist economy of wealth and opportunity come about? This major new analytical work emphasizes the often surprising, fundamental and continuing processes of innovation and transformation which has produced the world we live in now.

RoBIN HANSON

Professor Hanson is Professor of Health Economics & Political Economy at George Mason University and Research Associate at the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford. He holds a Ph.D. from Caltech. Professor Hanson taught on our summer school in 2018, and our gap year course in Washington DC in 2017 and 2018.

The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday Life  - Economics, Psychology

The aim of this book is to confront our hidden motives directly - to track down the darker, unexamined corners of our psyches and blast them with floodlights.

"[Hanson] bring[s] together research on various topics of limited reach that, when combined, speak to the outrageous gall of the mind in recreating reality to its own liking, and then covering its tracks." - Katherine Oktober Matthews,

Professor Ryan was Warden of New College, Oxford, professor of politics at Princeton University and professor of philosophy at Stanford. He is the author of eleven books, including the authoritative On Politics. Professor Ryan taught on our summer school in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

On Aristotle: Saving Politics from Philosophy  - Philosophy, Politics

In this book, Alan Ryan examines Plato's most famous student and sharpest critic, whose writing has helped shape over two millennia of Western philosophy, science, and religion. 

"Ryan's erudite introduction is followed by substantial extracts from Aristotle's political works, making this text ideal for classroom use." - Booklist

JAmie Whyte

Jamie Whyte is a Cambridge educated philosopher, who won the  Analysis  prize for the best piece of philosophical writing by anyone under 30, and is the former leader of New Zealand's ACT party. Jamie Whyte taught on our summer school in 2020 and our gap year programme in Oxford, also in 2020.

Crimes Against Logic: Exposing the Bogus Arguments of Politicians, Priests, Journalists, and Other Serial Offenders   - Philosophy

In  Crimes Against Logic , Whyte take us on a fast-paced, ruthlessly funny romp through the mulligan stew of can, folderol, and bogus logic served up in the media, at the office, and even in your own home.

"An incisive philosopher." - Sunday Telegraph

PETER MILLICAN

Peter Millican is a Gilbert Ryle Fellow and Professor of Philosophy at Hertford College, University of Oxford. He is one of the preeminent scholars on the philosophy of David Hume. Professor Millican taught on our summer school in 2018 and our gap year programme in 2017. 

Reading Hume on Human Understanding: Essays on the First Enquiry  - Philosophy, Politics

Reading Hume on Human Understanding  is an excellent companion to the study of one of the great works of Western philosophy, especially for first time readers. 

Submissions

The letter review prize.

The Letter Review Prize is open for submissions. Our writing contest is awarded every two months, with a total Prize pool of $4000 USD and publication for our winners. Up to 20 writers are Shortlisted in each category, and the winners are considered for submission to the Pushcart Prize and other prestigious anthologies. All entries are considered for publication. The categories are  Short Fiction  (up to 5000 words),  Poetry  (up to 70 lines),  Nonfiction  (up to 5000 words), &  Unpublished Books  (Novels, Story Collections, Poetry Collections, and Nonfiction).

Regular Submissions

New writing has the ability to inspire, educate, and transform our lives. Everyone has an important message to share, whether you are published or unpublished, new to writing or experienced. We are excited to read your work. We believe in the importance of supporting writers and so are currently open to unsolicited submissions of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. We pay $50 USD upon publication. 

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Home / Book Writing / The Best Writing Contests and How to Apply

The Best Writing Contests and How to Apply

You live to write and have numerous short stories to prove it. Best of all, people other than your mother love and praise them! But because your name doesn’t happen to be Danielle Steel, no publisher is currently knocking down your front door to rip manuscripts from your printer before the pages even cool. So what is an aspiring writer to do? Apply to a writing contest, perhaps?

If you were a singer, you could try out for American Idol ; if a dancer, you could apply to So You Think You Can Dance . But let’s face it, a television show where you typed at your keyboard is not must-see TV.

Even so, there are numerous (non-televised) writing contests where you can display your skills and improve your writing . Plus, if you win, you might receive some well-deserved critical acclaim—not to mention a cash award and potential future writing contracts.

In this article, you will learn:

• How to enter a writing contest and increase your chances of placing or even winning
• Which contests are reputable
• Which contests are currently accepting submissions

Table of contents

• General Rules for Applying to Writing Contests

Writers & Illustrators of the Future

• Writer's Digest Magazine 
• EcoLit Books
• The University of Georgia Press
• Colorado State University
• The Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition
• The Indiana Review
• Writing Battle
• Final Thoughts

There are a lot of writing contests out there that may or may not be worth your time. As a general rule, it's a good idea to check out the contest's social media presence, their history, and the previous winners to be sure that you're applying to one that isn't going to waste your time and your money–since most of them do have entrance fees. Never fear, I've done some research for you, and listed a few of the best writing contests and how to apply to them below.

But it's probably a good idea for us to go over some general rules for applying to these contests. So here they are:

• Edit your work before you submit anything. Make sure that it's the best it can possibly be.
• Don't apply to writing contests that are outside of your genre.
• If a writing contest has a specific requirement or theme like “Robots takes over the Earth,” don't try to shop an old story that doesn't fit.
• Do check the specific submission requirements for each contest. This will include the length of the piece in words, the theme or genre, and how your submission should be formatted, including margin and font size.
• Write a great cover letter–once again, this depends on the submission guidelines.
• If the contest organization publishes past winners, it’s a great idea to read two or three issues to understand the writing the current judges love. Your fantasy tale might be the greatest thing since The Lord of the Rings , but if the judges are currently into science fiction, winning will remain your largest fantasy.
• Be professional, both in writing and correspondence.
• If you win, that's awesome! If you don't, try again, but don't  ever  contact the judges or call the competition out on social media. This won't reflect well on you or up your chances in future writing contests.
• Don't submit the same piece to multiple contests at the same time.

Now that we've gotten the general rules out of the way. Let's look at some of the best writing contests that you can apply to.

Join in celebrating 10 years of Inkitt . Inkitt was founded 10 years ago as a website for founder Ali Albazaz and his friends and family to share stories and receive feedback.

Since then, Inkitt has grown, evolved, and discovered so many amazing and talented writers, on a journey to fulfill our company mission of discovering hidden talents and turning them into globally successful authors. They invite you to submit your story to their contest ‘Decade of Discovery’.

Take your readers on a journey to uncover something new, whether it's a new passion, a hidden talent or a unique perspective on the world. Let your imagination run wild and leave readers captivated and inspired!

Contest dates:

Launch date: Monday 13th of March @12:00 am CET

End date: Thursday 8th of June @12:59 am CET

1st place: A Galatea publishing contract, an exclusive book cover design, a feature in a tagged Instagram post, and a verified profile badge on your Inkitt account.

2nd place: A Galatea publishing contract, a year-long free Galatea subscription, a feature in a tagged Instagram post, and a verified profile badge on your Inkitt account.

3rd place: A Galatea publishing contract, a feature in a tagged Instagram post, and a verified profile badge on your Inkitt account.

This contest is currently entering its 36th year and is one of the most famous writing contests around. You can enter four times a year and there is NO reading fee! The three top winners from each quarter are published in the Writers & Illustrators of the Future annual anthology. The contest is for science-fiction and fantasy writers and was formed to “help foster the next generation of master writers.” A lofty goal. And one the competition seems to have achieved many times over. To date there have been 404 contest winners, 334 illustrator winners, and entries from 181 countries.

If you're interested in submitting your story to the competition, click to check out the submission guidelines .

The coordinating judge will give advice to help good writers get better, and the website has a writer’s forum with plenty of helpful information to assist new authors. Many of the twelve annual winners have gone on to successful writing careers as you can see in this list of the brand new science fiction past winners.

In addition to publishing the winning stories, authors are paid for their story and one gold award winner is given $5,000. They also fly the winners out each year for an exclusive writers' workshop , which is really a scholarship, with training delivered by some of the leading authors in the industry. With no reading fee and the chance to have your writing judged by a panel that includes the likes of Kevin J. Anderson and Brandon Sanderson, this is an awesome opportunity for sci-fi and fantasy writers.

Writer's Digest Magazine hosts an annual writing contest that's been going on for over 80 years. This year's contest is the 89th, and contest submissions are judged by editors and literary agents with over 500 winners being selected. I like those odds.

There are reading fees for the different types of submissions, starting at $20 for poetry and $30 for manuscripts.  But the cost is well worth the reward. The first-place winner receives $5,000, an interview with the author on the Writer's Digest website, and a chance to attend the Writer's Digest Annual Conference with a Pitch Slam slot.

The Grand Prize winner and the first-place winner are also published on the Writer's Digest website. If you'd like to find out more about how to submit, you can do so here . Remember, these competitions always have unique and specific submission guidelines–it's a good idea to check them out before you submit.

Even with the fee, the contest is well-worth an aspiring short story writer's time.

This contest is open to multiple forms of writing, including but not limited to:

• Genre fiction short works (mystery, romance, etc.)
• Print or online articles
• Literary short stories

EcoLit Books is an independent online journal devoted to stories with environmental themes. They have a large section of their website dedicated to writers, with many writing opportunities listed, including competitions authors can submit to. Each contest has a different theme. For instance, the theme of the current competition is: “And lately, the sun.” 

The project will produce an anthology that will be released in November 2020, and submissions are open until 30 June 2020. But if you miss this round of the contest, there will be others, all with similar themes, that you can apply to. Here are the submission guidelines for the current contest.

Since the competition theme changes, the submission guidelines might too. The most accurate information will be found here for each subsequent competition. For this competition, authors whose stories are accepted will receive AUD$80, and one lucky story writer is picked by the editors to receive a prize of AUD$500. Every author whose story is chosen will receive a contributor copy of the eBook. Additionally, there's NO entry fee for this competition.

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The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Manuscripts

The Letter Review Prize is a writing contest that is awarded every two months. The contest has a total prize pool of $3800 USD and offers publication for the winners. The categories for the contest include Short Fiction (up to 5000 words), Poetry (up to 70 lines), Nonfiction (up to 5000 words), and Manuscripts (Novels, Story Collections, Poetry Collections, and Nonfiction).

The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction offers a $1000 USD prize pool for short fiction up to 5000 words. There are no genre or theme restrictions and it is open to writers from anywhere in the world.

The Letter Review Prize for Poetry offers an $800 USD total prize pool for poems of not more than 70 lines. Like the short fiction category, there are no subject or style restrictions and it is open to writers from anywhere in the world.

The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction offers a $1000 USD total prize pool for nonfiction up to 5000 words in length. It is open to writers from anywhere in the world.

Finally, the Letter Review Prize for Manuscripts offers a $1000 USD total prize pool for manuscripts including novels, short story collections, poetry collections, and nonfiction books.

It is open to writers from anywhere in the world. Three winners from each category are announced who share in the prize money. The prize is judged blind to ensure fairness.

The University of Georgia Press offers $1,000 in the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction for a collection of short stories. The first prize-winning book in this contest was published in 1983, so it's fair to say that this is an esteemed competition. Two winners per year are awarded the prize, and the submissions for this competition are open from April 1 to May 31 every year. You can purchase previous year's books here , and check out what type of stories win the award.

Here are the submission guidelines for the competition. Interestingly, the University of Georgia Press appears to host more than one writing contest. There's another called the Crux: The Georgia Series in Literary Nonfiction, and there's also a poetry contest: The Georgia Poetry Prize.  So, if you can't submit to the fiction competition right away, you do have the option to try for the nonfiction or poetry contests instead.

There isn't an entry fee for this contest either. At a glance, it appears the short story contest is open to stories that are themed–this will change annually. Previous themes included: “Stories about Holidays”, “Stories about Death” and “Stories about Love.”

Colorado State University offers prizes for short fiction via its Center for Literary Publishing. The prize is called the Nelligan Prize for Short Fiction, and though it's currently closed for submissions at the time of this article's publication, it's open annually from December.

There's an entry fee of $17 for online submissions and $15 for paper submissions. You can check out the submission guidelines here . But just to break it down, this competition is for short stories in the 2,500 to the 12,500-word range. You don't need to be a resident of the U.S.A. to enter, and the winners, who receive a cash prize of $2,000, are usually announced in June of the following year. The winning story is published in the fall or winter issue of the Colorado Review.

This is an esteemed competition that was established in 2004 in honor of author and editor, Liza Nelligan. At a glance, it seems the type of fiction suitable for this competition is previously unpublished literary work.

First established in 1981 in Key West, the Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition draws in entrants from all over the states and the world. Lorian Hemingway is the judge–she's the author of three critically acclaimed books: Walking Into The River, Walk On Water and A World Turned Over. She's also the granddaughter of the great, Ernest Hemingway. She takes what might be considered an unorthodox approach to judging the competition, at least in the eyes of the literary world. To her, typos aren't an issue. It's more about the meaning and spirit of the story.

The competition has awarded over $70,000 to entrants over its 39 years of existence. Submissions cost $15 before May 1st and $20 after May 2nd. The word count of submitted stories must be 3,500 words or less. And the first-place prize winner receives $1,500 and publication in  Cutthroat: A Journal of Arts. The competition favors authors or writers who have not been published in widely circulated magazines before–that includes self-published authors, who will be considered on an individual basis.

You can check out online submission guidelines here.

The Indiana Review awards five prizes a year in different categories. One of them, the IR 1/2 K Prize, allows you to send in multiple pieces for consideration with the caveat that each one is less than 500 words. I'd say that's in the realm of flash fiction. When submitting, you don't have to add a cover letter–interestingly, the submission process for this award is done online, directly after payment. You can't email or mail your submissions–they'll be ignored.

There's an entry fee of $20. This gets you not only a submission but a year-long subscription of the journal. That's a pretty neat bonus if you ask me. All submitted works must not have been published anywhere else. And the prize? It's $1,000 and publication of your pieces.

You can take a look at the details and submission guidelines here. Remember, there are multiple prizes so be sure to check out the full list here .

Writing Battle guarantees a cash prize pool of at least $5,000, split amongst the winners from each of the four genres. All winners are also offered publication, and everyone gets loads of feedback from participants. $25 (tax included) to enter. Writing Battle is a supportive and growing community that holds a quarterly competition for writers, by writers. Receive prompts and write a Short Story within the time limit (usually a few days). After the submission deadline, the stories are separated by genre and battle in parallel tournaments.

The outcomes of each face-off in the tournament are judged by fellow participating writers, providing peer feedback, and judging stories in different genres than their own. After a few weeks of peer judging, industry professionals step in to decide the four winners, one from each of the four genres. Industry judges include the likes of Nebula and Hugo winner, Ken Liu (THE GRACE OF KINGS). Check out  Past Winners  or read more about the  Rules

More Writing Contests

We've gathered even more writing contests for you to check out!

With all these available contests, it’s time to get to work writing and editing your best story within an inch of its life. Then, submit it only after researching to ensure you are adhering strictly to the writing contest's guidelines, and that you’ve polished it with the shine that appeals to those specific judges.

And while you’re waiting for that contest to conclude, start working on a new submission for the next contest. Of all the tales I’ve heard, I don’t believe I’ve ever heard a legend of a writer submitting his first and only work to a single contest, and winning the first time around. Persistence and hard work are the more typical stories of success.

If you live to write, your greatest breaths of air will be the days your private creations become public. Your masterpieces won't be published if you don’t go to the work of getting them out there. So use this information to push yourself just a bit harder. And do the work it takes to successfully enter these contests, so that you can start writing your own future!

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

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8 thoughts on “ The Best Writing Contests and How to Apply ”

Another good source for info on writing contests is Practicing Writing https://www.erikadreifus.com/2020/06/markets-jobs-for-writers-8/ . Erika Dreifus publishes a list of contests and jobs for writers every Monday with a bigger list monthly. She lists only things that are free to enter but pay the winners. She provides subscribers with other useful info on other days.

This is a very good list of resources. I was infact looking for something like this .Writing contest accepting work from all over the work is what I need know.Will check out the guidelines.

Awesome and sounds good!

Great list! Thanks for the hard work you put into this research.

You’re welcome and glad to have helped.

It would be nice to have this information for non fiction writers. All the above only apply to fiction.

If you come across some, let us know and we’ll update.

These are all for short fiction. What about contests for novels.

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Novel Excerpt Contest: September 1 – November 12, 2023

Submissions closed! Thank you, submitters!

Guest Judge Matthew Salesses says: “I love getting to know new work and new writers through a contest, and I love getting to see novels before they go out into the world, so judging The Masters Review novel contest provides both of those things at once. I have waited years for a book based on an excerpt I read, and it is the best kind of waiting, and I am someone impatient in life. As a judge, I’m looking for an excerpt that will give me that kind of anticipation, a book that I will want to wait for. I want an excerpt that gives me a sense of the novel as a whole, rather than an excerpt that can stand alone/separate. I like novels that are difficult to excerpt, novels that contain elements of the whole in any part.”

Each fall, The Masters Review hosts a call for novel excerpts! Writing a novel can be an arduous and lonely process, but we’re here to champion the great work being produced. Whether your book is not quite finished or ready to pitch, we want to read your words. For this contest, we’re looking for self-contained excerpts that display a strong voice, compelling characters, and carefully constructed narrative arcs. You may submit an excerpt from any section of your completed or in-progress novel, but choose wisely: a synopsis should not be required for understanding the excerpt. As always, we have no limitations on genre, though we are primarily interested in literary fiction.

This year, our guest judge is Matthew Salesses, author of The Sense of Wonder, Disappear Doppelgänger Disappear, and The Hundred-Year Flood . Salesses will select the finalists from a shortlist provided by The Masters Review ’s editorial team. The winning excerpt will be awarded $3,000; online publication; and an hour-long consultation with Halley Dunne Perry, a literary agent with The Hamilburg Agency. Second- and third-place excerpts will be awarded online publication and $300 and $200 respectively, in addition to written feedback from Dunne Perry.

Submission Guidelines:

• Submitted excerpts must be under 6,000 words.
• Submitted work must be previously unpublished. This includes personal blogs, social media accounts, and other websites. Previously published excerpts will be immediately disqualified.
• The entry fee is $20 .
• Simultaneous and multiple submissions are allowed, though each submission requires a $20 entry fee .
• The winner receives $3,000; online publication; and a consultation with Halley Dunne Perry, a literary agent with The Hamilburg Agency.
• The second- and third-place finalists receive cash prizes ($300/$200), online publication, and agent feedback.
• If your submission is accepted or contracted elsewhere, please withdraw your submission on Submittable, or contact us otherwise to let us know the piece is no longer available.
• We do not require anonymous submissions for this contest, but the judge will review the shortlist anonymously.
• This contest is for emerging writers only . Writers with single-author book-length work published or under contract with a major press are ineligible. We are interested in providing a platform to new writers ; authors with books published by indie presses and self-published authors are welcome to submit unpublished work.
• International submissions are allowed, provided the work is written primarily in English.
• All submissions must be double-spaced with one-inch page margins and use Times New Roman or Garamond 12 (or larger, if necessary).
• Excerpts from novels under contract for 2023 or 2024 are ineligible, but novels under contract from 2025 and beyond are eligible.
• The contest’s deadline is 11:59 p.m. PST on Sunday, November 12, 2023.
• All entries will be considered for publication in New Voices.
• Every submission will receive a response by the end of March 2024. The winners will be announced by the end of April 2024.
• Friends, family, and associates of the guest judge are not eligible for this award, nor are past winners of the Novel Excerpt Contest.
• A significant portion of the editorial letter fees go to our feedback editor.

Q: Does it have to have a beginning, middle, and end?

We want an excerpt that stands well on its own, that makes us want to read the full book. We want a sense of conclusion from the excerpt, but we also know that we’re only reading part of a novel and don’t expect all threads to be resolved. You can read last year’s winners at the links below for an example of the kind of novel excerpt we’re interested in.

Q: When should I expect to hear back?

We will try to respond to every submission by the end of March 2024, and hope to have the finalists announced at the end of April or beginning of May 2024. If this timeline changes significantly, we will notify all authors. We appreciate your patience!

Q: Can I submit two chapters if they fall under 6,000 words?

You can submit as many chapters as you’d like, as long as the word count is under 6,000 words.

Q: How firm are you on word count?

We allow for some wiggle room; don’t force your revisions into 6,000 words. We’d rather read a couple hundred extra words than a cramped conclusion!

Q: Can I submit a synopsis/prologue with my excerpt?

We recommend that you don’t; your excerpt will be judged on its merit alone, and the synopsis will not be published alongside your excerpt.

Q: Can I submit with a cowriter?

Sure, but you’ll need to split the prize money.

Q: What if a small portion of the book has already been published?

As long as the excerpt you’re submitting has not been published in any form, and the novel itself has not been published, we’re happy to consider your work!

Q: What’s the deal with my rights if I want to publish my book eventually?

We ask for first publication rights of your excerpt only . All rights also revert back to the author after an exclusive ninety-day publishing window. Specific questions or concerns about publishing rights can be addressed to contact [at] mastersreview [dot] com.

Q: If I self-published my novel on my blog but later took it down, can I still submit an excerpt?

Unfortunately, because it’s been published in some form or fashion, the excerpt would no longer be eligible for this contest.

 About the Judge

Matthew was adopted from Korea. In 2015 Buzzfeed named him one of 32 Essential Asian American Writers. His essays can be found in Best American Essays 2020 , NPR Code Switch,   The New York Times Motherlode, The Guardian, Time, VICE.com , and other venues. His short fiction has appeared in Glimmer Train, American Short Fiction , PEN/ Guernica , Witness , and elsewhere. He has received awards and fellowships from, among others, the PEN/Faulkner Foundation, Dublin Literary Award, Bread Loaf, Glimmer Train, Mid-American Review , and [PANK] Books.

Matthew is an Assistant Professor of Writing at Columbia University. He earned a Ph.D. in Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Houston and an MFA in Fiction from Emerson College. He serves on the editorial boards of Green Mountains Review and Machete (an imprint of The Ohio State University Press), and has held editorial positions at Pleiades, The Good Men Project , Gulf Coast, and Redivider . He has read and lectured widely at conferences and universities and on TV and radio, including PBS, NPR, Al Jazeera America, various MFA programs, and the Tin House, Kundiman, and One Story writing conferences.

All previous contest winners can be found on our Past Awards page.

Book Review: Tell Us When To Go by Emil DeAndreis

2022 flash fiction contest finalists.

Book Review Competition 2021 Winners Announced

A great book review is much like the delicious smell of a cake baking in the oven—it induces a mouthwatering eagerness to gobble up its subject! And your reviews certainly made us want to delve in, not only piquing our interest in recently published books but also reigniting our love for classic titles and inspiring us to seek out new reads from around the world. 

Below, Guest Judge Megan Daley shares her winning picks and tells us why they wowed!

Winner : Shivona (UK)’s review of Nowherelands: An Atlas of Vanished Countries, by Bjorn Berge 

Congratulations on a review that is as informative as it is engaging—this is a tricky balance to achieve with the book review genre. Your review achieved its main goal—to spark an interest in this book, which seems to be an eccentric but refreshingly original account of the lost countries of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This would not be a book I would normally choose but your review sent me off to order my own copy of Bjorn Berge’s book—a piece of writing that sparks an action in its reader is a powerful piece of writing. Your introductory sentence immediately grabs attention, and your first paragraph contains not only a short summary of the books purpose and main ideas but also has some wonderfully emotive phrases which set the tone for the review to come: “weaves together”; “frayed ends”; “taste the richness” and “trickled down the generations.”

The second paragraph is a strong assertion of your opinion on why this book works, with specific examples and some strong phrases such as “invites us on a journey” and “challenges the idle thought.” Without being negative, you critically discuss what could be seen as a weaker point of the book, “some chapters feel more rushed … researchers may be sceptical towards this inconsistency,” but you also make the point that the audience is probably not academics and that the book serves more as an “introduction; a starting point”—this is an excellent way to establish the audience for this book. Your conclusion loops elegantly back around to emotive language and your final recommendation packs a punch. 

The sequence of topics for your review is in a logical order and your creative voice is strong. In terms of mechanics and language your writing is well edited and polished. You use complete sentences and a variety of sentence types and have chosen vibrant and effective vocabulary.

Well done—this is a powerful book review!

Runner-up: Saher Gole (India)’s review of Refugee, by Alan Gratz

Your writing is a fine example of the genre of review writing. Your introduction is inviting as well as explanatory, giving the reader details of the book, a summary in which the ending is not revealed and information which goes beyond the obvious and predictable. Your analysis and critique is polished, and I particularly liked the connection you made with the “news stories we see in our feeds today” as this made a strong link between the book and real life. Themes and characters are discussed in depth and your use of quotes from the book to highlight these are appropriate and add strength to your writing. While the recommendation for the book is strong and explains in detail why you would recommend it, I would like a little more detail about who you think the readership of this book is—who should read it.

This is a polished book review—well done!

Peer Review Winner: Emma Gold (US)’s peer review of The moment I met what life truly meant

Your peer review gives so much quality feedback to the writer of the review. Your comments are articulate, encouraging and challenge the writer in a positive manner. Your first sentence is perfect in that it states that you were intrigued enough by the review to seek out a copy of the book—the writer clearly hit the mark and it was great that you acknowledged this at the start. Your comments are ones I agree with re: polishing the writing piece, and you beautifully layered critique with encouragement. Well done!

Madeleinewren (UK)’s Kerouac’s On the Road : an Ode to Dean Moriarty, masculinity and the American Dream Emmagrace (US)’s review of Out of My Mind Caitlin Rothery (UK)’s review of Rebecca

Special Commendation:

Delia Rune (US)’s review of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

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NewPages Guide to Writing Contests

In the NewPages Guide to Submission Opportunities, find announcements of new and current writing contests, book contests, magazine contests, chapbook contests, broadside contests, and more. Looking for general calls for submissions from literary magazines, anthologies, presses and more? You can find them here .

Would you like to advertise a writing or book contest with NewPages? Learn more and submit your contest here .

Note: Descriptions provided by advertisers. NewPages does our best to vet all opportunities. If there is an issue, please contact us .

• Calls for Submissions
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May 21, 2024

Black Warrior Review Annual Contest Open for Submissions

Deadline: August 1, 2024

Biannual print journal Black Warrior Review invites you to submit your weirdest & wildest short stories, flash (fiction or nonfiction), essays, or poems to our annual contest. Winners in each genre receive a cash prize and publication in print & on our website. All entries are considered for publication and must be unpublished. Judges: Chigozie Obioma (fiction), Rajiv Mohabir (nonfiction), Donika Kelly (poetry), and Intan Paramaditha (flash). Entry fee: $20 for poetry, fiction, and nonfiction; $10 for flash. Multiple entries are welcome, and all entrants receive a one-year subscription to the journal. For complete guidelines, visit bwr.submittable.com/submit .

May 16, 2024

Swan Scythe Press Announces its 2024 Poetry Chapbook Contest!

Deadline: June 15, 2024

Swan Scythe Press announces its 2024 poetry chapbook contest. Entry fee: $18. We are accepting submissions from March 1 to June 15 (postmark deadline). Winner receives $200 and 25 perfect-bound chapbooks. The 2023 winner is Gail Wronsky for Some Disenfranchised Evening . For full guidelines, visit www.swanscythepress.com and swanscythepress.submittable.com/submit .

May 14, 2024

Unleash Your Tale of Yesteryear: Win Cash & Get Published!

Deadline: August 15, 2024

Calling all writers with a passion for the past! History Through Fiction’s annual short story contest is back. Submit your unpublished historical fiction masterpiece between June 15 and August 15, 2024, for a chance to win up to $250 and get published in our anthology. With a 5,000-word limit and settings that predate the year 2000, your story will be judged on theme, historical relevance, characters, narration, and impact. Multiple entries welcome; a $15 fee applies. Winners announced by November 15. Don’t miss this opportunity to make history with your story! www.historythroughfiction.com/short-story-contest

May 13, 2024

Driftwood Press Contest Deadlines Incoming

Deadline: July 15, 2024 (Adrift contests); Year-round (general submissions)

Driftwood Press  is happy to share a plethora of submission opportunities for writers and artists! Our Adrift Short Fiction & Poetry Chapbook Contests, in which every work submitted is considered for publication as winner or runner-up, is ending soon! For our yearly print anthology, we are looking for poems, short stories, comics, and visual art that will wow our readers, accepted as both contest and normal submissions. We are a paying market, and our published writers also get to take part in bespoke interviews about their work!  Driftwood  is also on the hunt for amazing book-length titles to grow our catalogue, so if you have a novella, poetry collection, comic collection, or graphic novel manuscript, we would love to read it! Visit us  here  for our Submittable page, and we encourage you to follow us on social media (@driftwoodpress) to learn about even more submission opportunities!

May 9, 2024

WCSU MFA’s Housatonic Book Awards

Deadline: July 14, 2024

Western Connecticut State University’s MFA in Creative and Professional Writing invites submissions for our 2024 Housatonic Book Awards. Open to all books published in 2023. Winners receive $1,500 and present a reading and workshop at our winter or summer residency. Past winners include R.O Kwon, Victoria Chang, Jason Mott, Sandra Beasley, Julie Marie Wade, and many more! Deadline is July 14, 2024. housatonicbookawards.wordpress.com

Raleigh Review Dorianne Laux & Joseph Millar Poetry Prize

Deadline: June 1, 2024

Submissions are open via Submittable for our Dorianne Laux & Joseph Millar Poetry Prize every even-year. If fee free is a must for you, this contest shall reopen again on January 1, 2026. There is also our holiday submission period that opens up in December. Be sure to check the applicable dates for those opportunities. For the current 2024 Laux/Millar prize, the fee is $15. We never extend deadlines. Check our guidelines at the link: raleighreview.org/rr-laux-%26-millar-prize-1 .

May 8, 2024

Solstice Literary Magazine Annual Literary Contest Open for Submissions

Solstice Literary Magazine ( Best of the Net 2023 and Best American Essays 2018 , and cited in 2015, 2016, 2020, 2022) announces Annual Literary Contest April 1–June 1: $1,000 Fiction Prize (judge: Marjan Kamali), $500 Stephen Dunn Poetry Prize (judge: Andrea Cohen), $500 Michael Steinberg Nonfiction Prize (judge: Rajiv Mohabir), $500 Graphic Lit Prize (judge: Leela Corman). Entry fee: $18. Submit at: www.solsticelitmag.org/contest .

May 2, 2024

Baltimore Review Summer Contest

Deadline: May 31, 2024

Baltimore Review Summer Contest – No theme! Flash fiction and CNF. Prose poems. One, two, or three works in a single submission, but no more than 1,000 words total. We want to wonder at how you abracadabra so few words into magic. We want to be amazed and maybe a little jealous of how you do that. $400 awarded in each category. All entries considered for publication, with payment for accepted work at our regular rate. $8 contest fee. Final judge: Kathy Flann. Deadline: May 31. Visit our site, read some of the fine work there, then submit: www.baltimorereview.org .

On the Hunt for $500 Poetry

The MacGuffin ’s Poet Hunt 29 awards a $500 grand prize and publication! Up to two Honorable Mentions also published. Guest Judge Michael Meyerhofer will make the final selections. Entrants receive one copy of the issue containing the selected poems. Send five poems per $15 entry fee. Include a cover page listing your contact info and poem titles. Successive pages should not include personally identifiable information to preserve the anonymous review process. Following the cover page, include your poems, beginning each poem on a new page. Enter via Submittable ( themacguffin.submittable.com/submit ); to enter by email or post, see full rules at www.schoolcraft.edu/macguffin/poet-hunt-contest .

2025 Press 53 Award for Poetry

Deadline: July 31, 2024

$1,000 advance, publication by Press 53 as a Tom Lombardo Poetry Selection, and 53 copies awarded to an outstanding, unpublished poetry manuscript of approximately 50-120 pages. If a Runner-Up is also selected: $500 advance, publication by Press 53 as a Tom Lombardo Poetry Selection, and 25 copies. Poet must be 18 or older, living in the US or one of its territories. Press 53 Poetry Series Editor Tom Lombardo will judge. Prizes awarded upon publication. Enter April 1 to July 31 via Submittable or by mail. Winner and finalists announced by November 1. Reading fee: $30. Complete information at www.press53.com/award-for-poetry/ .

May 1, 2024

The Orison Chapbook Prize

Deadline: July 1, 2024

The Orison Chapbook Prize is open for submissions through July 1. $300, a royalties contract, and 20 author copies are awarded for a manuscript of 20 – 45 pages in any literary genre (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, drama, or hybrid). Judged by Orison Books founder and editor, Luke Hankins. Find complete guidelines here .

$2,100 in Prizes – Flying South 2024 Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction Contest

$2,100 in prizes . From March 1 to May 31, Flying South 2024, a publication of Winston Salem Writers, will be accepting entries for this year’s contest. There will be three categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry. In each of the three categories the awards will be $400 for First Place, $200 for Second Place, and $100 for Third Place. Finalists will be awarded publication in Flying South . For full details, please visit our website: www.wswriters.org/flying-south .

Solar Flare Contest for Authors and Artists

Solar Flare: $500 for Fiction, CNF, Poetry, Art, or Graphic Novel. A solar flare is short-lived but contains enormous energy. Sunspot Lit is looking for the single short story, novel or novella excerpt, artwork, graphic novel, or poem that provides a noteworthy flare of creative energy. Literary or genre works accepted. First prize: $500 plus publication. No restrictions on theme or category. Open: May 1 Close: May 31 Entry fee: $10 Enter as many times as you like through Submittable (one piece per submission) . Simultaneous submissions accepted.

April 30, 2024

Salamander 2024 Fiction Contest

Salamander’s annual fiction contest will accept submissions of short stories up to 30 pages or 7500 words from May 1 – June 1. First prize will win $1000 and publication; second prize is $500 and publication. Kevin Wilson will judge. Entry fee of $15 includes a one-year subscription. Find more information and enter at salamandermag.org/contests . Questions: [email protected] .

Red Wheelbarrow Poetry Prize 2024: $1,000 and Letterpress Broadside

Red Wheelbarrow Poetry Prize 2024: $1,000 for first place and a letterpress broadside, $500 for second, $250 for third. Top five published in Red Wheelbarrow Literary Magazine . Judge is Kim Addonizio. Submit up to 3 original unpublished poems. $15 entry fee. Deadline: July 31. For complete guidelines, see redwheelbarrow.submittable.com .

April 25, 2024

Mentorship Program (Rising Seniors Only)

Deadline: June 25, 2024

Apply to the 2024 Daphne 4-week Online Mentorship Program! We will select 5-7 dedicated students to work with accomplished writers on a 1on1 basis. Our mentees have benefited greatly over the years. They’ve used the time to work on their existing body of work, getting it published by literary magazines, winning awards at Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, and eventually gaining acceptance to top colleges! Recent Daphne mentees have been accepted to Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, and top creative writing programs, e.g., Iowa, Kenyon, Juniper, and Emerson! Program fee is $300 (waived for financially disadvantaged). www.thedaphnereview.org/mentorship-program-rising-seniors-only/

April 1, 2024

Force Majeure Flash Contest

Deadline: April 30, 2024

Force Majeure: a great and unexpected power. We’re seeking the best small things in any genre, any form. Flash is: under 1000 words & 5 pages, contains any combination of letters, marks, or images, and is inventive affectively, linguistically, formally. Send creative nonfiction, fiction, hybrids, experiments, dreams, fragments, wild things! $500 in prizes; fee $6, no-fee option; all entries considered for publication; all entrants receive prize issue. Full guidelines: stormcellar.submittable.com/submit/72759/ . 

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Our 9th Annual Student Review Contest

We invite students to play critic and submit an original review about a recent creative work. Contest runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 6.

By The Learning Network

Update, Feb. 8, 2024: The winners have been announced!

Do you like sharing your opinion with others? Do you have strong reactions to books, movies, restaurants or fashion? Are you a foodie or a gamer? A music buff or a theater aficionado?

If so, this contest is for you. We invite you to play critic and write an original review for our Ninth Annual Student Review Contest.

What can you choose to review? Anything that fits into a category of creative expression that The New York Times covers — from architecture to music. But this year we’ve added a new requirement: Anything you choose to review must have debuted in 2023. That means not that you watched a movie, read a book or heard an album for the first time this year, but that the work premiered in 2023. With this new rule, we hope to encourage students to help shape the cultural conversation about today’s world, just like Times reviewers do.

Take a look at the full guidelines and related resources below. Please post any questions you have in the comments and we’ll answer you there, or write to us at [email protected]. And, consider hanging this PDF one-page announcement on your class bulletin board.

Here’s what you need to know:

Resources for teachers and students, frequently asked questions, submission form.

Please read these rules carefully before submitting an entry. You can find more details in the Frequently Asked Questions section below.

Review something that debuted in 2023 and fits into one of the following categories of creative expression that The New York Times reviews:

— architecture — art — books — cars — comedy — dance — fashion — hotels — movies — music — podcasts — restaurants — technology — theater — TV shows — video games

You do not need to review the exact same piece of work that The Times has reviewed — just something that fits into the categories listed above. For example, you can review a new restaurant in your town because The Times reviews restaurants.

The review must be 450 words or fewer, not including the title.

Whatever you choose to review, it should be new to you and you should experience it yourself.

You must be a student ages 13 to 19 in middle school or high school to participate, and all students under 18 must have parent or guardian permission to enter. Please see the F.A.Q. section for additional eligibility details.

The work should be fundamentally your own — it should not be plagiarized, written by someone else or generated by artificial intelligence.

Your essay should also be original for this contest, meaning, it should not already be published at the time of submission, whether in a school newspaper, for another contest or anywhere else.

Keep in mind that the work you send in should be appropriate for a Times audience — that is, something that could be published in a family newspaper (so, please, no curse words).

Submit only one entry per student. And while many of our contests allow students to work in teams, for this one you must work alone.

New for 2023 : As part of your submission, you must also submit an “artist’s statement” that describes your process. These statements, which will not be used to choose finalists, help us to design and refine our contests. See the F.A.Q. below to learn more.

All entries must be submitted by Dec. 6, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time, using the contest form at the bottom of this post.

Reflections From Winners of Our Student Review Contest

Henry hsiao and elizabeth phelps, winners of our 2019 student review contest, share their reflections and review-writing advice..

My name is Henry Hsiao. I go to school at West Windsor- Plainsboro High School North in New Jersey and I’m in 11th grade currently. Hi, my name is Lizzie Phelps. I went to Poolesville High School and I’m currently a first year at Wellesley College. When I wrote this review, I was a senior in high school. How did you find out about this contest and why did you decide to participate? I found out about this contest through my English teacher. In fact, the previous school year, we were entered in, I believe, the editorial contest. The next year on my own initiative, I searched for a different contest I could participate in. And in this case, I thought reviewing something would be fun. I found out about the contest through my high school journalism class. We had an assignment to write a review of something. And we read some of the previous year’s reviews. And my journalism teacher just really pushed for us to do it. It an assignment and then it was an extra five homework points to submit it to the contest. What was your reaction to hearing that you were a finalist? I was so excited. I wasn’t expecting much. You know, I was like, OK, awesome to see what happens. And actually, I didn’t know I was a finalist, and my friend texted me, and was like, oh, my god, congratulations. I was like, what? What are you talking about? I don’t know what this is. So then I checked my email and I was just so excited. It’s gratifying, and really encouraging, especially when you’re recognized for writing like this, because it really encourages you to keep on writing. Do you have any advice you’d like to give to other young writers who might be applying to this contest in the future? Pick something that you have strong feelings about, because like I was saying earlier, that’s really what propelled me to keep going and to make sure this review was as good as I thought it could possibly be, was that I didn’t want to let Lizzo down. No topic necessarily is the wrong topic. And I would argue that your point of view perhaps may be something extremely unique. If you have a unique story to tell, then by all means, go out and tell it and share it with others.

Use these resources to help you write your review:

A new step-by-step guide for writing a review : To be used by students or teachers, this guide walks writers through the review-writing process, from brainstorming a topic, to experiencing a work as a critic to finally putting your review on paper. Along the way, we’ll give you tons of free links to Times and student-written criticism, as well as tips from the experts on how to write a piece that is honest, engaging and fair.

Advice from Times critics : Read these three essays or check out these four short videos in which New York Times critics share their best review-writing advice. We also have an annotated movie review by Manohla Dargis, the Times’s chief film critic.

Tips from teenage writers: You can read the work of our 2022 , 2021 , 2020 , 2019 , 2018 , 2017 , 2016 and 2015 winners. Or, read two annotated reviews — one on a Lizzo concert , the other on New York’s Penn Station — and watch two short videos from students who won our 2019 contest. Finally, check out the video above, which has even more advice from past student winners for entering this contest.

Two new writing prompts: Which new works of art or culture did you experience this year that you would encourage others to experience? Which would you caution them to avoid? These prompts offer students a “rehearsal space” for thinking and writing about the art, entertainment and culture that interests them.

An on-demand webinar for teachers : Learning Network staff and expert educators walk you through our resources for teaching review writing with The Times.

Our contest rubric : These are the criteria we will use to judge this contest. Keep this rubric handy to make sure your piece meets all of the qualifications before entering.

Below are answers to your questions about writing, judging, the rules and teaching with this contest. Please read these thoroughly and, if you still can’t find what you’re looking for, post your query in the comments or write to us at [email protected].

QUESTIONS ABOUT WRITING

What is a review?

In a cultural review, a reviewer experiences a work of art or culture, asserts an opinion about it, and backs up his or her claims with compelling evidence.

In this sense, a review is like an argumentative essay. This is what makes a review more than just a book report: a reviewer has to read (or watch, or listen to, or experience) a work closely; analyze it and understand its context; and explain what is or isn’t meaningful, interesting or relevant about it.

In other words, don’t simply summarize or describe the work you are reviewing. State an opinion and support it with details to make your case.

How can I make my review stand out?

We’re primarily looking for reviews that assert an opinion about the work being reviewed — whether positive or negative — and have something fresh, meaningful and interesting to say about it. But we’re also looking for writing that is vivid, engaging and fun to read.

A few pieces of advice:

Express an opinion . Your review should both tell your audience about the work you are reviewing and communicate your intellectual, emotional and visceral experience of it.

Back up your opinions with relevant and descriptive details from the work itself. The more specific you can be, the better.

Bring readers into the experience with you by using sensory images . Metaphors, similes, descriptive adjectives, strong verbs, vivid imagery that draws on all five senses — these are the difference between a good review and a great one.

Be mindful of your audience . You are writing a review for The New York Times, so your readers will include a broad cross-section of people. You’ll need to give appropriate context for those who might not be familiar with the work you’re reviewing. At the same time, be sure to take into account the creative work’s target audience. For example, if you are reviewing a video game intended for 10-year-old girls, aim to write a review that will be useful for 10-year-old girls (and their parents).

I’m not sure what to write about. Where should I start?

We suggest heading over to our step-by-step guide for writing a review , which walks you through the entire process from brainstorming a topic, to experiencing a work as a critic to finally putting your review on paper.

But to help you discover what strong opinions may be lying underneath that self-doubt, try responding to these writing prompts:

Do You Read Reviews?

What New Work of Art or Culture Would You Recommend That Everyone Experience? (Coming soon)

What New Work of Art or Culture Would You Warn Others to Avoid? (Coming soon)

You say we have to review something that “debuted in 2023.” What does that mean?

That means that the work of art or culture you choose must be new this year. And yes, that applies to all of the categories of expression that we have listed above.

Why? Our contests have always challenged students to try to do what The New York Times does, and this requirement more closely aligns this contest with that goal. Reviews for The Times are on current works. They not only help readers decide what to read, watch, see or listen to now, but they also often play a significant role in shaping the cultural conversation around the works critics write about.

As A.O. Scott, a longtime arts critic, puts it, “Criticism is a kind of news reporting.” He writes of the role of a reviewer :

Whether or not we like the thing we’re reviewing, we are interested in what it means, how it works (or doesn’t), why it matters (or doesn’t), and how it reflects and is part of the larger world.

While we’re not asking you to race to your desk to type out a review for the next day’s paper like Times critics, we are asking that you choose to review something you think is worth talking about right now. We hope that, by writing about something current, you can more easily accomplish the task of justifying why a work “matters” and “how it reflects and is part of the larger world.”

And keep in mind that this doesn’t mean you only have to review today’s most popular works. As Mr. Scott writes, in addition to the “latest big Hollywood movies, Broadway shows, premium cable dramas, blockbuster museum retrospectives or whatever Jay-Z and Beyoncé are up to,” critics also “pay significant attention to small triumphs as well as grand ambitions, to interesting failures as well as astonishing successes.”

Here are some examples of works that would be eligible to review for this contest: a restaurant or building that opened in your town this year; a new season of a TV show or podcast that debuted this year; a new production of a Broadway play being performed at your high school this fall; a new translation of a classic book; a movie, album, video game or tech gadget that was released this year; a concert or fashion show you attended sometime during 2023.

Is there anything I can’t write about?

We invite you to review anything that has debuted in 2023 and fits into a category of creative expression covered by The Times.

For example, you could review a concert you saw this year, such as Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, because The Times reviews music, including events. But you could not review Santa Cruz decks and wheels because The Times does not review skateboards. You could also not review Taylor Swift’s “Reputation” album, even though it does fall into the music category, because it came out in 2017.

We also ask that you focus on one specific piece of work or experience — such as a particular video game, a fashion show you saw, or a restaurant in your town — rather than a broad genre, such as pop music, dresses or barbecue restaurants in general.

Still not sure if what you want to review is acceptable? Post a comment or email us at [email protected].

Do I need a Works Cited page?

Our submission form does not allow for a separate Works Cited page for this contest. If you are quoting from another source or referencing someone else’s ideas, you should give appropriate credit in the review itself.

Here is an example of how to do so from one of our past winning reviews about New York City’s Penn Station:

As Vincent Scully, the late art critic, famously noted, “One entered the city like a god … One scuttles in now like a rat.” That blustery Friday afternoon, it wasn’t too hard to see Mr. Scully’s point.

QUESTIONS ABOUT JUDGING

How will my review be judged?

Your work will be read by New York Times journalists as well as by Learning Network staff members and educators from around the United States. We will use t his rubric to judge entries.

What’s the prize?

Having your work published on The Learning Network.

When will the winners be announced?

About two months after the contest has closed.

My essay wasn’t selected as a winner. Can you tell me why?

We receive thousands of entries for this contest, so, unfortunately, our team does not have the capacity to provide feedback on individual student essays.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RULES

Why are you asking for an Artist’s Statement about our process this year? What will you do with it?

All of us who work on The Learning Network are former teachers. One of the many things we miss, now that we work in a newsroom rather than a classroom, is being able to see how students are reacting to our “assignments” in real time — and to offer help, or tweaks, to make those assignments better. We’re asking you to reflect on what you did and why, and what was hard or easy about it, in large part so that we can improve our contests and the curriculum we create to support them.

Another reason? We have heard from many teachers that writing these statements is immensely helpful to students. Stepping back from a piece and trying to put into words what you wanted to express, and why and how you made artistic choices to do that, can help you see your piece anew and figure out how to make it stronger. For our staff, they offer important context that help us understand individual students and submissions, and learn more about the conditions under which kids around the world create.

We won’t be using your statements to choose our finalists, or publishing them alongside the winning work. Instead, they will strictly be for our staff to read. If we later decide to post something about student process using these statements, we will ask for your permission before quoting you. In other words, this is fairly informal; just be yourself and be honest in telling us as much as you can about how you worked and why.

Who is eligible to participate in this contest?

This contest is open to students ages 13 to 19 who are in middle school or high school around the world. College students cannot submit an entry. However, high school students (including high school postgraduate students) who are taking one or more college classes can participate. Students attending their first year of a two-year CEGEP in Quebec Province can also participate. In addition, students age 19 or under who have completed high school but are taking a gap year or are otherwise not enrolled in college can participate.

The children and stepchildren of New York Times employees are not eligible to enter this contest. Nor are students who live in the same household as those employees.

Whom can I contact if I have questions about this contest or am having issues submitting my entry?

Leave a comment on this post or write to us at [email protected].

QUESTIONS ABOUT TEACHING WITH THIS CONTEST

I’m a teacher. What resources do you have to help me teach with this contest?

Start with our step-by-step guide for writing a review, coming soon, which can be used by teachers or students. It includes writing prompts, links to free Times reviews, advice from professional critics, mentor text lessons and other resources that can support this contest.

You might also invite your students to read the winners of last year’s contest to get inspiration for their own work.

Do my students need a New York Times subscription to access these resources?

Students can get free access to Times pieces through The Learning Network . All the activities for students on our site, including mentor texts and writing prompts, plus the Times articles they link to, are free. Students can search for articles using the search tool on our home page.

However, if you are interested in learning more about school subscriptions, visit this page .

How do my students prove to me that they entered this contest?

After they press “Submit” on the form below, they will see a “Thank you for your submission.” line appear. They can take a screenshot of this message. Please note: Our system does not currently send confirmation emails.

This contest is closed.

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The Comprehensive List of 2024 Writing Contests

• on Dec 14, 2023
• in International Writing Events
• Last update: March 13th, 2024
• at 11:45 am

Anyone who has participated in writing events before–such as NaNoWriMo –knows how effective it can be to write against the clock, and that’s where writing contests come in! These contests can be a great way to develop your skills, challenge yourself against other writers, and, above all else, win an award for your work!

Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, writing contests can be a great way to boost your skills, challenge yourself, and get your work in front of a wider audience. With so many contests to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the top writing contests for 2024. Whether you’re interested in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or children’s writing, there’s sure to be a contest on this list that’s perfect for you. So what are you waiting for? Start writing and get your submissions in!

Mississippi Review Contest

Eligibility & Restrictions

The contest is open to all writers in English except current or former students or employees of The University of Southern Mississippi. Fiction and non-fiction entries should be 1000-8000 words; poetry entries should be three to five poems, totaling ten pages or less.

Mississippi Review Prize

Submit three to five poems totaling up to 10 pages, or a short story or an essay of 1,000 to 8,000 words,

Southeast Review: World’s Best Short-Short Story Contest

Send up to three short-short stories per submission. Each short-short should be no more than 500 words. Do not include personal identification information within your submissions.

Southeast Review: Gearhart Poetry Contest

Send up to three poems, no more than 10 pages total. Include no more than one poem per page. Do not include personal identification information within your submissions.

Southeast Review: Ned Stuckey-French Nonfiction Contest

Send essays up to 10 pages. Do not include personal identification information within your submissions.

Robert Watson Literary Prize

Entries must be previously unpublished. Length restrictions: no more than 7,500 words or 25 typed, double-spaced pages for fiction. Each story counts as one entry. Poetry entries can include any number of poems up to 10 pages, but they recommend 5 to 7 poems per submission.

The Letter Review Prize for Poetry

The submitted poem can be up to 70 lines. The Prize is open to anyone, from anywhere in the world. There are no style or subject restrictions: all poems welcome.

The Letter Review Prize for Short Stories

The submitted short stories can be up to 5000 words. The Prize is open to anyone, from anywhere in the world. There are no theme or genre restrictions: all entries welcome.

Gemini Magazine Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Submitted poems can be of any length, subject, or style. Each contestant can submit up to three poems.

Emma Howell Rising Poet Prize

Poets 35 years old and younger who have not previously published a book-length poetry manuscript are eligible. Poets who have previously published chapbooks are welcome to enter. Manuscripts that have been submitted in previous years may be resubmitted.

Jacobs/Jones African-American Literary Prize

Entry must be short prose by African-American writers in North Carolina. Entries may be fiction or creative non-fiction, but must be unpublished, no more than 3,000 words, and concerned with the lives and experiences of North Carolina African-Americans. Entries may be excerpts from longer works, but must be self-contained.

Immerse Education Essay Competition

The Immerse Education Essay Competition is open to entries from young people aged 12-18 interested in all subjects, from Architecture to Medicine, Creative Writing to Film Studies.

DISQUIET Prize

Anyone above 18 can enter. Only previously unpublished work in English can be submitted. Entries should be the work of a single author. For fiction: ONE short story or novel excerpt, maximum 25 (double-spaced) pages per entry. For non-fiction: ONE nonfiction piece or book excerpt, maximum 25 (double-spaced) pages per entry. For poetry: No more than SIX poems per entry, up to 10 pages total.

Fan Story 80 Word Flash Fiction Contest

A drabble is a flash fiction story that uses 80 words. That is the challenge of this contest. Write a story (on any topic) using 80 words. The title does not count towards the word count. The submitted work must be between 78 – 82 words.

The Winter Anthology Contest

Anyone can enter. Please send as much poetry or prose of which you are the sole author and that were not written earlier than 1999.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

Essays can be no more than 1,000 words but must be a minimum of 700 words. Citations and bibliography are not included in the word count. Essays must be the original work of the student. Essays must have a minimum of five sources.

Colorado Prize for Poetry

The competition is open to anyone, except Colorado State University students, alumni, and employees. Manuscripts must be at least 48 pages but no more than 100 pages. They may be composed of any number of poems. The theme and style are both open. Manuscripts may consist of poems that have been published, but the manuscript as a whole must be unpublished.

William Matthews Poetry Prize

Submit 3 poems in a single file, any style, any subject, any length. Previously published work and translations are not eligible. Simultaneous submissions are accepted.

Desert Writers Award

The application requires a project proposal, a biographical statement, and a writing sample of no more than 10 pages. Please submit all materials in one document.

Rattle Chapbook Prize

Each poet may submit 15–30 pages of poems in English only (no translations). Individual poems may be previously published in any format, but the manuscript as a whole must be unpublished as a collection.

Driftwood Press Poem Contest

Submitters may send up to five poems in a single document for consideration. Each poem must not exceed sixty lines. Prose poetry, experimental poetry, and poetry with a visual element are all welcome. Any submissions should be written primarily in English.

Rose Post Creative Non-Fiction Contest

The competition is open to any writer who is a legal resident of North Carolina or a member of the North Carolina Writers’ Network. Simultaneous submissions are ok, but please notify them immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. Each entry must be an original and previously unpublished manuscript of no more than 3,500 words.

Storytellers of Tomorrow Contest

All high-school-age students are invited to submit unpublished, original English-language stories of up to 2,000 words in length for the 9th Annual “Storytellers of Tomorrow” Contest. The sole criterion for earning prizes in this contest is simply overall quality, meaning that well-edited, engaging, and evocative stories have the best chance of winning over the judges.

Driftwood Press Short Story Contest

The entry should be between 1,000-5,000 words. The work must not have been previously published. Submit works written in English only, no translations.

Bethesda Essay Contest

Essays must be limited to 500 words or less about a topic of the writer’s choosing. Only one entry per person. Your essay must be your original work. Any essays containing material that is obscene or objectionable will be disqualified. Previously published essays are not eligible for Adult Submissions. Residents of Washington, D.C. and the select counties of Maryland (Montgomery, Prince George’s, Howard and Frederick) and Virginia (Arlington, Fairfax, Alexandria) are eligible. High School entries must be residents or attend a school in Montgomery County, MD or Washington, D.C.

The Cooper Prize | Norwich Writers

Write a ghost short story (2000 words max) with a strong male character. Word Limit: 2000 words. It can be set in any time – present day, the past, or even a sci-fi ghost story set in the future.

NYC Midnight: The Short Story Challenge

There are four rounds of competition. In each round, writers are placed randomly in groups and are assigned a genre, subject, and character assignment. Writers have to write an original story based on the assignment within a given time limit. The word limit decreases in each round, from 2,500 words in the 1st Round to 1,250 words in the 4th Round

Law Day Contest

This contest is only open to students who live in Oklahoma. Entries are limited to one per student in each contest.

Fan Story My Faith Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Share a poem that is about your faith or how faith has impacted your life. Any type of poem accepted.

The Bournemouth Writing Prize

Anyone above 16 can enter. Short Story length: Up to 3000 words maximum. It can be about any topic and in any style. Poetry length: Up to 42 lines. They are looking for poetry that is fresh and unexpected.

This Sentence Starts The Story

Anyone can enter. Write a story that starts with this sentence: The house was empty. You have the option to put it in quotes (for dialogue) and to change the punctuation at the end for proper grammar.

Retreat West First Chapter Competition

Submit your first chapter only. International entries are welcome but first chapters must be written in English and can be up to 3,000 words (no minimum word count) and on any theme and subject (except children’s fiction).

Room 204 Writer Development Scheme

Please submit up to three examples of your creative writing. Your submission should total no more than 3,000 words – this is 3,000 words for all three examples, not 3,000 words each.

Ó Bhéal Five Words International Poetry Competition

Poems cannot exceed 50 lines in length (including line breaks), and must include all five words listed for the week. A modicum of poetic license is acceptable, as long as the original spelling is intact. Poems should be newly written, during this 7-day period. There is no limit to volume of entries. Entrants should be at least 18 years of age at the date of submission.

Fan Story Take A Photo Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem about a photo you’ve taken.

Oxford Flash Fiction Prize

All entries must be formatted as a single-spaced word document or PDF. Font: Arial, 12pt. This is to standardise entries so that all stories are treated equally. Only entries that are under the 1000-word limit (not including the title) will be accepted.

Magma Poetry Competition

The competition is open to anyone, including non-UK residents, except Magma Poetry Board members and their families. Poems may be on any subject, and must be in English and your own original work. They must not have been published, self-published or accepted for publication in print or online, broadcast, or have won or been placed in another competition at any time.

Pulp Fictional

All stories to be written in English. Stories must be your own work and not have been published, in any way, online or in print, or won any other competitions. Anyone over the age of 18 can enter. You can enter as many times as you want but must pay each time.

Parracombe Prize 2024

To enter this contest, simply submit a short story of no more than 2,023 words. Entries must be in English, your own original work, and must not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere.

The Kent and Sussex Poetry Society Open Competition

The competition is for anyone aged 16 and over, from anywhere in the world. Poems must be in English, your original work, on any subject, in any style, no longer than 40 lines. Poems should have neither been published elsewhere (including self-published) by 16th April 2024.

Fish Publishing Short Memoir Prize

The entries can’t have been previously published. Maximum number of words is 4,000 in English.

Lancashire Authors’ Association Open Competition

Anyone 16 or above can enter. The story must be exactly 100 words. Entries must be original, unpublished work which is not currently submitted for publication or entered into any other competition or award.

The BookLife Prize

Both unpublished or self-published books in the English language are eligible for the BookLife Prize. Entries must contain 40,000 to 100,000 words.

Clash of the Query Letters

One page—maximum 500 words. Only original, unpublished, unrepresented work may be submitted. Word documents & PDFs are accepted. The winning submissions will be published on the Chopping Blog. All entrants will be notified of winners and shortlist by email.

Arts & Letters Prize

Send only one submission per genre at any one time. In other words, submitting a short story and an essay at the same time is fine, but please wait to hear from them before submitting another story. All submissions must be typed and all prose double-spaced.

Norm Strung Youth Writing Awards

Students may enter one piece of writing between 500 and 1,000 words in length, typed, and double spaced. Each entry must be original work of the entrant, and have an out door theme.

Joe Gouveia Outermost Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Send up to 5 of your best unpublished poems, any style or subject matter, no more than 7 pages in total.

The Danuta Gleed Literary Award

All entries must be Canadian-authored titles published in English between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023 and available through bookstores and libraries. Only first collections of short fiction are eligible. Co-authored or multi-authored collections are not eligible. Posthumously published works are not eligible.

The Fiction Desk

Submitted stories should be between 1,000 and 10,000 words in length; please do not send anything longer or shorter than this. Most of the stories published are between about 2,000 and 7,000 words.

River of Words Competition

The contest is open to K–12th grade students, ages 5–19. Students must be enrolled in school to be eligible. All entries must be submitted by a parent, guardian, educator, or facilitator unless the student is 18 years old or older. Poems should not exceed 32 lines in length (written) or 3 minutes (signed). For ASL poetry, please include a brief written summary of the poem’s content.

Cambridge Autumn Festival Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. The word limit is 1500 words.The theme for this year’s competition is “The Dilemma” .

Teignmouth Poetry Festival Open Poetry Competition

Poems may be on any subject, must be the original work of the entrant, unpublished and not accepted for publication in any medium. They must not have been awarded a prize in any other competition. Poems should be in English and not exceed 40 lines of text, no minimum. Titles, epigraphs, dedications and blank lines are not included in the line count.

The British Haiku Society Poetry competition

Anyone can enter. Submissions must be in English, unpublished and not concurrently entered for any other competition, and remain unpublished until the results are declared. Submissions should not appear in any print or online publication, social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), or forums as the competition is anonymous. There is no limit on the number of submissions per competitor.

The Tampa Review Prize for Poetry

Entrants should submit a collection of poems. Manuscripts must be previously unpublished. Some or all of the poems in the collection may have appeared in periodicals, chapbooks, or anthologies, but these must be identified. Manuscripts must be at least 48 typed pages. The preferred length is between 60 and 100 pages.

Cheshire Prize for Literature

The writer must have been born, live or have lived, study or have studied, work or have worked, in Cheshire. Entry must be an original and previously unpublished. You must have your parent’s or guardian’s consent to enter the competition if you are under the age of 18.

Fiction Factory Flash Fiction Competition

The max length of the story shouldn’t be more than 1,000 words, sent as a Word document. All types of stories are welcome (excluding Children’s and Young Adult Fiction).

Ethos Literacy Annual Short Short Story Contest

The story cannot be longer than 100 words. Write on one of these topics: bicycles, eclipse, fire, suitcase.

National High School Poetry Contest

Entrants must be a high school student or a home-schooled student in grades nine through twelve. Students from anywhere in the United States may enter. Poems may be in rhyme, free verse, Haiku or other accepted poetry forms and of any length, up to a maximum of 40 lines. No entry may have been previously published.

EngineerGirl Essay Contest

Elementary school student stories must be no more than 800 words. Middle school student essays must be no more than 1,000 words. High school student essays must be no more than 1,200 words. You must also include a reference list of 8 resources. Each resource should be listed using the APA citation style.

St. Gallen Symposium Esay Competition

Essay (max. 2,100 words, excl. abstract, bibliography, and footnotes). Individual work expected, no group work allowed. The essay must be written exclusively for this contest. The idea must be the author’s own.

Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award

Write a short story of no more than 8,000 words that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration.

Winter Flash Fiction Writing Battle

1000 Word limit (not including title page). Name or address cannot be written anywhere. All stories are separated into their respective genres and each compete in a single-elimination tournament specific to its genre.

Border Crossing Contest

For flash fiction genre: Up to 1000 words per flash fiction submission. Microfiction up to 400 words apiece is also accepted. Submit no more than two flashes or micros, up to 1000 words total, in one single document. For poetry genre: Submit 3-5 poems in one document up to 10 pages.

Bath Flash Fiction Award

Anyone above 16 can enter. Entries can be on any theme or subject but must be original and written in English. They must also be for adult or young adult readers. Non-fiction and fiction written for children under 13 years are not eligible. Max length is 300 words. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or won a prize.

Fan Story 20 Syllable Poem Contest

Write a poem that has exactly 20 syllables in any format.

NFPW Communications Contest for High School Students

All 2024 contest entries must have been published, e-published, broadcast, or issued between February 1, 2023, and January 31, 2024. Entries must be produced by a current high school student or a recently graduated student who produced the work in their senior year after February 1, 2023. Entries must have been professionally published/produced or published/produced by a school or professional publication in a recognized medium for the category such as a school, local or national newspaper, a website, a school, local or national television production and the like.

NFPW Communications Contest for Professionals

The NFPW Communications contest is open to anyone regardless of gender, professional status or location. College students do not have to be 18 to enter any of the categories in the Collegiate Division. High school students may enter the professional contest if they are acting in a professional capacity.

The Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize

The work you submit must be unpublished, and must not have been accepted for future publication or self-published. In addition, anyone who has previously had a full-length novel accepted for publication is not eligible to enter. Entrants must be resident in the UK or Ireland.

Fan Story 3-6-9 Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. The poem should have three stanzas. The subject can be anything.

Hachette Children’s Novel Award

Living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain there for at least another 12 months. Over the age of 18. A debut author of middle-grade and early teen fiction. Please submit your initial 3000-6000 words and synopsis.

Northern Writers’ Awards for Poetry

Living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain there for at least another 12 months. Over the age of 18. Working on a full-length collection of poetry.

Northern Debut Awards: Poetry

Living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain there for at least another 12 months. Over the age of 18. A debut poet: you may have published a pamphlet and had individual poems in magazines and anthologies but you should not yet have published a full collection.

Northumbria University Student and Alumni Award

Living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain there for at least another 12 months. Over the age of 18. A final-year undergraduate; current postgraduate student or alumni who has graduated from an undergraduate or postgraduate programme at Northumbria University within the last ten years.

Young Northern Writers’ Awards

This award is open to young writers aged 11-18 in the North of England. Young writers can submit creative work in any form including prose, poetry, scriptwriting, blogging, songwriting and rap. This award is made possible through New Writing North’s partnership with their lead partner Northumbria University.

Matthew Hale Award

This award is for a young person aged 11-18 based in the North of England. Entrants must be 18 years or under on 12 February 2024 when the awards close. Young writers can submit creative work in any form including prose, poetry, scriptwriting, blogging, songwriting and rap.

Writers’ & Artists’ Short Story Competition

Submit a short story (for adults) of no more than 2,000 words on the theme of ‘risk’.

IndieReader Discovery Awards

Only books that have been either self-published or published by an independent publisher and have an ISBN or ASN can enter.

Next Generation Indie Book Awards

The 2024 Next Generation Indie Book Awards is open to all indie book authors and publishers including independent publishers (small, medium or otherwise), university presses, self-published authors, e-book authors, seasoned authors and even first time authors in the U.S., Canada or internationally who have a book, a manuscript, or a galley proof written in English and published in 2022, 2023 or 2024 or with a 2022, 2023 or 2024 copyright date.

Adventures in Fiction Spotlight First Novel Award

Current and previous apprentices are not eligible. Novelists commercially published (in English) are not eligible. Self published writers are eligible.

Achievement Awards in Writing

The contest accepts submissions in any genre, as long as they are original, unpublished, and written in English. The submissions must be based on a specific theme developed by the Achievement Awards Advisory Committee. The contest is open to schools in the United States, US territories, Canada, and American Schools Abroad that are US accredited. The submissions are only accepted from teachers; students may not self-nominate

Promising Young Writers Program

Ambroggio prize.

U.S. Citizen. Poets are not eligible to apply if they have studied with the judge in full-time accredited courses within the last three years. Works translated into Spanish from another language are ineligible.

Morton and McCarthy Prizes

This contest is open to any short fiction writer of English. Employees and board members of Sarabande Books, Inc. are not eligible. Works that have previously appeared in magazines or in anthologies may be included. Translations and previously published collections are not eligible. Length: between 150-250 pages.

Anchorage Annual Statewide Creative Writing Contest

The contest is open to Alaska residents. College students who maintain Alaska residency may enter. All judges, editorial or administrative employees of Anchorage Daily News, faculty or administrative employees of the University of Alaska and board members of the Alaska Center for the Book, and their immediate family are ineligible. Work published previously in any copyrighted newspaper, magazine, book or other medium is ineligible. Writing for school publications may be entered. Entries must be original. Contestants may enter one work of fiction (not to exceed 5,000 words), one work of non- fiction (not to exceed 5,000 words), and up to three poems. A contestant may enter all categories in his or her age group.

Writing Press: Sci-fi & Fantasy Contest

You must be at least 18 years old. There are no location restrictions, but you must comply with your local laws regarding online competitions and prize money. Word Count: 500 – 1,500.

Harold Morton Landon Translation Award

U.S. Citizens. Only books published in the United States during 2023 are eligible for the 2024 prize. Books must be published in a standard edition (48 pages or more). Collaborations by up to two translators are eligible.

Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards

Contestants must be current high school seniors at a public high school in the United States graduating Spring of 2024; 21 years of age and under; plan to enroll in an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or approved vocational-technical school Fall 2024.

3 Minute Drama Competition

The length of any entry into any category should not exceed three minutes in performance, and you are advised to time the entry’s performance before submitting. The maximum word count for a story entry is 500 words.

Short Prose Competition

Original, unpublished fiction or nonfiction up to 2,500 words in the English language. Writers who have had no more than one book published (traditionally or self-published) in any genre or language and who are not currently under contract for a second book. Writers not published in book format are also eligible. Writers must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.

Fan Story Nonet Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. It has to be a nonet, but it can be on any subject and rhyming is optional.

The Christopher Tower Poetry Competition

Entrants must be at least 16 years of age, and under 19 years of age, on 23 February 2024. Entrants must be in full or part-time education at a school, college or other educational institution in the United Kingdom. Students enrolled on higher education courses are not eligible to enter the competition. Entries for the Tower Poetry Prize 2023 must be on the designated theme. Entries must be written in English, and be no more than 48 lines in length.

The Elmbridge Literary Competition

Short stories must be in English, previously unpublished and a maximum length of 1000 words (8-13 years) or 1500 words (14+). Poems must be in English, previously unpublished and a maximum length of 30 lines typed, using a standard, legible font, double-spaced on single sides of A4 paper.

Fan story Horror Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. The contest accepts entries in the genre of horror or thriller

Fan Story Share A Story In A Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. In this contest you are challenged to write a poem that tells a story and also rhymes.

Fish Publishing Flash Fiction Prize

Maximum number of words is 300. The title is not included in the word limit. The winning stories must be available for the Fish Anthology, and therefore must not have been published previously. Fish holds publishing rights for one year after publication, after which publishing rights revert to the author

Nick Blatchford Occasional Verse Contest

Entrants must be Canadian (citizen or resident). Submissions must be unpublished, nor can they have been accepted for publication elsewhere. Submissions are accepted online only.

The Annual Lancaster Writing Award

The word limit for criticism and fiction is 1500 words. The limit for poems is 25 lines. The limit for screenplays is 8 pages. Essays you have written at school are eligible for entry. To enter you must be in year 12 or 13.

Red Hen Press Women’s Prose Prize

25,000 word minimum, 80,000 word maximum. Entries will be accepted via Submittable only. The award is open to all women writers with the following exceptions: Authors who have had a full-length work published by Red Hen Press, or a full-length work currently under consideration by Red Hen Press, employees, interns, or contractors of Red Hen Press, and relatives of employees or members of the executive board of directors.

WOW! Women on Writing Creative non-fiction Essay Contest

All women can enter. Entries should be creative non-fiction in English. Maximum words: 750. Minimum words: 250.

Fiction Factory First Chapter + Synopsis Competition

Send a maximum of 5,000 words of your First Chapter only. (If your opening chapter is longer, send the entire chapter but clearly mark the 5,000 word point). In the same document, send a one page synopsis (not included in the word-count).

Blue Mesa Review Writing Contest

This competition is open to original English language works in the genres of Poetry, Fiction, and Nonfiction. The submission must be an unpublished work. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable.

Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition

The international competition is open to all – both published and unpublished authors from all over the world – and is for short stories of up to 3,500 words. The story cannot have been previously published anywhere, or shortlisted for this competition.

Flash 500 Short Stories Competition

Stories should range between 1,000 and 3,000 words, with strong characters, a well-crafted plot and realistic dialogue (where used).

Southword Poetry Prize

They welcome submissions of up to four poems . If your work has been selected from an unsolicited submission and published in Southword before, they will ask that you please don’t submit for one year before submitting again.

The Canterbury Tales Writing Competition

The competition is open to all students of school age including not only those in schools and college communities, but also students who are home educated and in any other young people’s community organisations. The maximum word count is 500 words. There is no minimum word count.

The Isobel Lodge Award

The Scottish Arts Club Short Story Competition is open to all writers worldwide, published and unpublished. You do not have to be Scottish to enter the competition. Word limit: 2,000 words (not including the title)

The Debut Dagger Award

The international competition, open to anyone in the world writing in English, is for the opening of a crime novel (max. 3,000 words) and synopsis (max. 1,500 words). The crime novel – of any subgenre; including but not limited to thriller, noir, cosy mystery, suspense, police procedural; spy story and crossover of any kind – should be suitable for adults or young adults. Entries are eligible from writers who have never had a contract for a full-length novel of any kind and who don’t have an agent when the competition closes at the end of February. Entrants may not have self-published their entry, and must not have self-published any novel over 20,000 words in the five years preceding the deadline.

The Plaza Prizes: Poetry

Poems can be in any style or form, but must be in English, and written for adults. Maximum 60 lines. Enter the correct version of your work. If you make a mistake, entry fees will not be refunded.

The Exeter Writers Short Story Competition

You can submit as many individual stories as you wish, each as a separate entry. All entries must be accompanied by an entrance fee, which is paid via the PayPal button on the entry form. Simultaneous submissions are not allowed. Stories must have neither been previously published nor won a prize in any other competition.

BSFS Poetry Contest

Entries should address the themes of science fiction/fantasy/horror/science. Limit: 3 poems/person, maximum 60 lines each.

Blue Mesa Awards: Poetry

Submissions must be unpublished. They accept submissions of up to 3 poems

Blue Mesa Awards: Fiction

Blue Mesa Review accepts previously unpublished work in Fiction (up to 6,000 words).

Blue Mesa Awards: Non Fiction

Blue Mesa Review accepts previously unpublished work in Nonfiction of up to 6,000 words.

The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize

Applicants must be aged 18 or above at the time of entry. All entries must be written in English. Submissions must be standalone and cannot be extracts from a larger piece. A maximum of 2,500 words per entry.

Fan Story: Faith Flash Contest

Anyone can enter. Write exactly 300 words. Title does not count in word count. Fiction or non-fiction welcomed.

Fan Story 2-4-2 Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a 2-4-2 syllable poem. The subject can be anything.

Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize

This prize is open to all writers over 18 years of age who live in Victoria. Each writer can submit a single biographical story between 1000 and 3000 words in length.

Ada Cambridge Poetry Prize

This prize is open to all poets over 18 years of age who live in Victoria. Each poet can submit up to two poems with a maximum length of 30 lines each.

Ada Cambridge Short Story Prize

This prize is open to writers between 14 and 18 years of age who live, work or study in the western suburbs of Melbourne. Each writer can submit a single story that is no more than 1000 words in length.

True Story Contest

Anyone can enter. Share a true story from your life. Write a story that shares a moment, an object, a feeling, etc. This does not have to be a profound memory, but should allow readers insight into your feelings, observations and/or thoughts. Use at least 100 words. No poetry.

Full Bleed Fifth Issue Poetry Contest

Send no more than five poems in a single PDF or Word file. Each poem should appear on its own page.

Full Bleed Fifth Issue Essay Contest

In addition to feature-length essays of up to 7000 words, Full Bleed publishes shorter, recurring columns of approximately 1000 to 2000 words.

Full Bleed Fifth Issue Fiction Contest

Full Bleed typically publishes one to two pieces of short fiction in each issue. Given the dearth of journals that consider long-form fiction, thry will consider submissions up to 7000 words in length, though their tendency has been to select stories under 3000 words.

James Jones First Novel Fellowship

Entrants must have never published a novel, are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of America with Green Cards, and may have published any other type of work including non-fiction articles and short stories. A two-page (maximum) outline or synopsis of the entire novel and the first 50 pages of the novel-in-progress are to be submitted. A specific format for the outline or synopsis is not required.

Lazuli Literary Group Writing Contest

Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, essays, philosophical ruminations, experimental pieces, stage plays, fragments, and excerpts are all acceptable. You may submit multiple pieces as long as each is accompanied by a separate entry fee. One poetry submission may include up to 5 unrelated (or related) poems. Page limit for any type of submission: 150 pages.

The Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest

Entrants must be Canadian (citizen or resident). Submissions must be unpublished, nor can they be accepted for publication elsewhere. Submissions are accepted online only.

Oklahoma Poem Contest

Only Oklahoma residents are eligible to enter. Poems will be judged in 4 categories: K-4th, 5th-8th, 9th-12th, and Adult. The maximum length for poems is 30 lines. Poems can be rhymed or unrhymed. One poem per person.

Minds Shine Bright’s Annual Competition

Each entry must be original, unpublished fiction or poetry written by the submitting author and included the theme of Light and Shadow in some way. No brand references are allowed. The word limit for each entry is 2500 words.

Dream One Quest Poetry Contest

Poetry Contest entries may be written on any subject, theme, style, or form. All poems must be 30 lines or fewer and either neatly handwritten or typed, using single or double-line spacing.

Dream One Quest Writing Contest

Writing Contest entries may be written on a maximum of (5) pages, either neatly handwritten or typed, with single or double line spacing, on any subject or theme.

Rubery Book Award

Your entry must either be self published or published by an independent press. Authors and publishers can enter books.

The Fish Poetry Prize 2024

Anyone can enter. Poem length is restricted to 60 lines. The title is not included in the word limit, and it must be in English. The winning poem must be available for the Fish Anthology and, therefore, must not have been published previously. Fish will hold publishing rights for one year only after publication.

The Plaza Prizes: Prose Poetry

All entries are judged anonymously. Entries will be disqualified if they are over the 50 line limit, and there will be no refund. Entries must be entirely your own work.

Jack L. Chalker Young Writers’ Contest

Submissions shall be no more than 2,500 words in length. Contestants shall be no younger than 14 and no older than 18 years of age as of May 29 in the contest year and shall reside or attend school in Maryland.

Gemini Magazine Short Story Contest

Anyone can enter. Any length, any subject, any style

Nature and Place Poetry Competition

Poems must have a title and must be no more than 40 lines, excluding the title, and be typed in black ink on one side of A4. Poems must be the original work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published or published online or broadcast. Poems are judged anonymously so the poet’s name, address, etc., MUST NOT appear on the poem.

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Length limit: 250 lines maximum. Authors from all countries eligible except Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea (due to US government restrictions). The poem you submit should be in English.

The Claymore Award

The contest is limited to only the first 50 double-spaced pages of unpublished English-language manuscripts containing elements of thriller, mystery, crime, or suspense NOT currently under contract.

The American Foreign Service Association’s National High School Essay Contest

Students whose parents are not in the Foreign Service are eligible to participate if they are in grades nine through twelve in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, or if they are U.S. citizens/lawful permanent residents attending high school overseas.

Fan Story Non-Fiction Writing Contest

Recommended length is 5,000 words or less. This contest is open to all members. Past contest winners can join the contest. One entry per person. New entries to the site only. If you already posted a work on FanStory.com that work is not eligible for the contest.

Minute Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The Minute Poem is a poem that follows the “8,4,4,4” syllable count structure. It must have 12 lines total and 60 syllables.

Fan story 100 Word Flash Fiction

Anyone can enter. The entry should be exactly 100 words.

Two Line Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. Write an essence poem. The poem should be of two lines with six syllables per line, each containing an internal rhyme and an ending rhyme.

Ver Poets Open Competition

Anyone 16 and above can enter. Poems should not have been published, or accepted for publication, in print or online. They should not have won prizes in other competitions, be simultaneously entered for other competitions or be translations of other poets’ work. Poems must be your own original work and may be on any theme. Length: no longer than 30 lines.

Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize

Electronic submissions only. Do not include any preambles, or bios within your submitted manuscript. Manuscripts must have a table of contents. Manuscripts must be typed in a no less than 12-point font, paginated, and 48 – 84 pages in length (single spaced).

Free Verse Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. No restrictions.

Tadpole Press: 100-Word Writing Contest

Word Limit: 100 words or less per entry. Writers: All ages. All genders. All nationalities. All writers welcome. Genre: Any genre. Theme: Creativity.

The Peseroff Prize Poetry Contest

Poems should be previously unpublished. All entries will be considered for publication. They accept simultaneous submissions, but please notify Breakwater if submission is accepted elsewhere.

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest

This contest is international and open to people of all ages. Residents of the following countries are not eligible to enter: Syria, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Russia, or Belarus (due to US government restrictions).

World Historian Student Essay Competition

Only students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs can apply. Past winners may not compete in the same category again. The entry should be approximately 1,000 words.

5-7-5 Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The entry should be a 5-7-5 poem that follows the structure of a Haiku but without any limitation to the topic.

James Laughlin Award

The award is given to honor a second book of poetry forthcoming in the next calendar year. The award is open to any poet who meets one of the eligibility criteria on the date of the application deadline, such as being a U.S. citizen, a resident of the U.S. for the ten-year period prior to the deadline, or having a certain immigration status. The award is open to books under contract with a U.S. publisher and scheduled to be published between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025. The books must be at least 48 pages long and written in English.

Four Line Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a four line poem that has a specific syllable count. The subject can be anything.

Fan story 15 Syllable Poem

Anyone can enter. Write a poem with exactly 15 syllables.

Fan Story Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Entry should be exactly 150 words.

Write The World Poetry & Spoken Word Competition

Script pipeline tv writing contest.

Cover page should include the title, but remove any contact information (name, email address, etc.). Logline and genre on the title page as well is preferred. Co-writers are allowed. List each writer’s name when registering your script. Script should be an original pilot. We will not be accepting spec scripts of existing shows.

The Bridport Novel Prize

Entries should not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere, in print or online, by a mainstream or an independent publisher. Non-fiction and fiction for children are not eligible. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and by submitting you are confirming the work is your own. Any evidence to the contrary will result in disqualification. Co-authored work is not eligible.

The Bridport Short Story Prize

5,000 words max. No minimum. Title not included in the word count. You can submit multiple entries to the competition as long as each entry is paid for individually and includes a separate entry form.

The Bridport Poetry Prize

42 lines max. No minimum. Title not included in the line count. Dedications not included in the line count. Lines between text stanzas not counted. You can submit multiple entries to the competition as long as each entry is paid for individually and includes a separate entry form.

The Bridport Flash Fiction Prize

250 words max. No minimum. Title not included in the word count. You can submit multiple entries to the competition as long as each entry is paid for individually and includes a separate entry form.

The Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing

Fiction manuscripts must be complete. Nonfiction submissions must consist of either a complete manuscript, or a sample of at least 25,000 words and a detailed proposal that includes a synopsis and an annotated table of contents. All submissions must be in English—translations are welcome. Candidates must be first-generation residents of their country. “First-generation” can refer either to people born in another country who relocated, or to residents of a country whose parents were born elsewhere.

Writers’ Digest Annual Writing Competition

Online Entry forms must have the word/line/page count listed where requested. Count refers to all words making up the story (no matter the number of letters in the word). Do not count the title or contact information in the word count.

Fan Story Write A Script Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a script of any size (can be a small script) for any medium on any topic.

Fan Story Faith Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The theme of this poetry contest is “faith”.

Ocean Awareness Contest

Students ages 11-18 from around the world are invited to participate. They must provide the contact information for an Adult Sponsor: a teacher, parent, guardian, mentor, or other supporting adult. Entries submitted previously to the Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest will not be considered in the 2024 Contest. The use of AI-generators, like ChatGPT or DALL-E, is considered plagiarism.

Narrative Magazine: Narrative Prize

Submissions are accepted only through the electronic submission system. Submissions through postal services or email aren’t accepted. All manuscripts should be in 12-point type, with at least one-inch margins, and sequentially numbered pages. Fiction and nonfiction should be double-spaced. Poetry should be single-spaced.

Living Springs Publishers Baby Boomer Plus Contest

Submitted stories must: Be between 900 and 5000 words, written in the English language, wholly the original work of the entrant, written solely by the entrant, and the author must own all rights to the story.

Non Fiction Chapbook Prize

Each manuscript should consist of a single essay in a standard 12-point font. Submitted essays may be novelette-length, up to 17,000 words (55 manuscript pages).

Tanka Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. For this contest you are challenged to write a Tanka poem, which follows a specific syllable count.

Fan Story 3 Line Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The poem has to have a syllable count of either 5-7-5 or 5-7-7. It shouldn’t rhyme. But the poem must address a loved one.

CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence.

The Bulwer Lytton Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Ebteries must be original and unpublished. Each entry must consist of a single sentence. The entry shouldn’t go beyond 50 or 60 words.

Chanticleer: The Journey Awards

Winning writers north street book prize.

Anyone can enter except those from Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea, Russia, and Belarus (due to US government restrictions). Length limit: 200,000 words maximum in English. You may submit a collection of short stories or essays as a single entry.

Student Book Scholars Contest

Each entry must incorporate the theme of Anti-Bullying. One book entry per team. Each book must be between 20 and 30 pages. The cover, dedication and back pages do not count towards this number.

Fan Story Love Poem Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. But it must clearly be a love poem.

Fan Story ABC Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a one-stanza, five-line poem.

Polar Expressions National Poetry and Short-Story Contest

All work must be original and will be checked for plagiarism. Entries should not have been previously published. You may enter one poem and/or one short story only! Poems must be 48 lines or less.Contest is open to Canada residents only.

Chanticleer: The Goethe Awards

Ozma book awards for fantasy fiction | sword & sorcery fiction | chanticleer book reviews, anthology magazine short story competition.

To enter, submit an original, unpublished short story, written in English with a maximum of 1,500 words. There is no limit to the number of entries you can submit. Each submission will require a separate entry form and is subject to a separate entry fee.

Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Writing Competition

Anyone can enter. Theme: Detour. Length: maximum 1,000 words. Stories can be a fictional tale or a tale inspired by a true story.

Fan Story Cinquain Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Entries must adhere to the contest’s syllable specifications. Share a cinquain poem. The format for this type of poem is simple. Each line has a specific number of syllables.

Rhyming Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem that has a rhyme scheme. How it rhymes is up to you.

Gemini Magazine Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Maximum length: 1,000 word. Any subject, any style

Chanticleer: The Chatelaine Awards

Chanticleer: the gertrude warner awards, adventures in fiction new voices competition.

The competition is open to aspiring novelists in all genres, regardless of location. (Adventures in Fiction has a broad national and international client base.) Novelists commercially published (in English) are not eligible. Current and previous apprentices are not eligible.

Chanticleer Cozy and Not-So-Cozy Mystery Book Awards

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence,.

Chanticleer Historical Fiction Pre-1750s Writing Contest

Chanticleer: the laramie awards, hearten book awards for uplifting non-fiction works | chanticleer book reviews.

Books must be 40,000 plus words.Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. All published books must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence.

Chanticleer: The Dante Rossetti Awards

Chanticleer: the clue book awards, chanticleer: the little peeps awards.

Early Readers and Picture Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence.

Miller Williams Poetry Prize

Anyone can enter. Length: Manuscripts must be between sixty and ninety pages. The manuscript must be previously unpublished. Individual poems may have been published in chapbooks, journals, and anthologies. Work in translation is not accepted.

Anthology Flash Fiction Competition

To enter, submit an original, unpublished flash fiction piece, written in English with a maximum of 250 words. There is no limit to the number of entries you can submit. Each submission will require a separate entry form and be subject to a separate entry fee.

Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest

Length limit: 250 lines maximum per poem. No restriction on age of author. Authors from all countries eligible except Syria, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Russia, and Belarus (due to US government restrictions). Final judge: Michal ‘MJ’ Jones, assisted by Briana Grogan and Dare Williams.

The Raven Short Story Contest

This contest is for previously unpublished short fiction between 250 and 2500 words in length. Multiple entries are welcomed. Total entries limited to 200.

Non-Fiction Investigative and Journalistic Works | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Works may be published on the web or in print or may be non-published. E-pubs accepted. Word Documents and PDFs are accepted. International entries are accepted but they must be written in the English language.

Business, Technology, and Enterprise Non-Fiction Guides and How-To Book Awards | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. All published books must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence, please.

Global Thriller Book Awards for High Stakes Thrillers | Chanticleer International Book Awards

Paranormal writing competition | chanticleer book reviews, i & i book awards for non-fiction guides and how-to | chanticleer international book awards, anthology poetry competition.

Submit an original, unpublished poem, written in English with a maximum of 40 lines. There is no limit to the number of entries you can submit. There is no age limit. All poems are judged anonymously and therefore the poet’s name must not appear on the poem itself. Name and contact details should be on the entry form only.

CIBA Fiction Series Book Awards | Chanticleer Book Reviews

20c wartime historical fiction | chanticleer book reviews, satirical & allegorical fiction book awards | chanticleer book reviews, contemporary & literary novel writing contest | chanticleer book reviews, the prime number magazine 53-word story contest.

Your story must be 53 words—no more, no less—titles are not included in the word count. Stories not meeting this rule will be disqualified. Send only stories; poetry with line breaks will not be considered. Hyphenated words count as one word. One submission per person. There are no age restrictions.

New Guard Fiction Contest

Anyone above 18 can enter. Up to three poems per entry. Submit up to 5,000 words: anything from flash fiction to the long stories. Please submit previously unpublished work only. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, provided they’re notified upon publication elsewhere.

Cranked Anvil Short Story Competition

Your story/stories can be any theme or genre, but must be a maximum of 1,500 words (not including the title).

Shooter Literary Magazine: Shooter Flash Competition

Stories up to 1,000 words long on any theme/genre are welcomed . Stories must be no longer than 1,000 words excluding title. Stories may be submitted at any time as submissions are open on a rolling basis. Stories can be previously published or unpublished, and writers may submit multiple stories for consideration.

There are a variety of writing contests to choose from, so you’ll surely find one that’s a good fit for your skills and interests. Whether you’re a fiction writer, a nonfiction writer, or a poet, there’s a contest right here for you. And if you’re participating in any of them this year, then best of luck to you!

Amazing Writing Retreats to Attend in 2024

The 2024 International Book Fairs Calendar

Best Writing Residencies in 2024 for Emerging Writers

The Best Writing Conferences and Workshops to Attend in 2024

Sondra Hardy

I am a self-published author and was wondering if there are any genres for Africa American novels? I wrote one that is a historical romance fiction.

Please Advise & Thank You, Sondra Hardy

Hi Sondra Hardy,

Thank you for reaching out and congratulations on being a self-published author! 🙂

While our list doesn’t have any contests for African-American novels, the Jacobs/Jones African-American Literary Prize is for African-American writers in North Carolina writing short prose: https://www.ncwriters.org/programs/competitions/jacobs-jones-african-american-literary-prize/

You can also check out the following contests: – The Hurston/Wright Legacy Award: https://www.hurstonwright.org/awards/legacy-awards – The Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence: https://ernestjgainesaward.org – Phillis Wheatley Book Awards Eligibility

Hope this helps 🙂

Jad Abou Ibrahim

I hope this message finds you in good health.

I am an aspiring (first-time) author who is about to polish up a Children’s Chapter book. The manuscript is at least 13,600 words and without illustrations.

Which competition would you recommend I enlist in so I can submit my manuscript?

Thank you in advance for your precious time.

Best regards, Jad Abou Ibrahim

Hello Jad Abou Ibrahim,

Thank you for reaching out! As a first-time author with a Children’s Chapter book, you have several exciting options for submitting your manuscript to writing contests. Check out the following contest:

The Bath Children’s Novel Award: https://bathnovelaward.co.uk/childrens-novel-award/

Best of luck with your manuscript, and may your writing journey be filled with creativity and success! 📚✨

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Our summer review-writing competition is back for 2023!  

If you're a primary school pupil, get reading this summer and send us your book review. You could win a zoom chat for your class with 'Dirty Bertie' author Alan M acDonald, plus 200 books from Wob to add to your school library!

Alan MacDonald is the author of the 'Dirty Bertie' series and other popular books such as The Prince of Pants  and Iggy of the Urks . He has also worked on writing for Television shows such as Horrid Henry and The Tweenies. He really enjoys paying Author visits to schools and answering questions from the children he meets there.

Thanks to the generosity of Wob, the two winning schools will also receive the fantastic prize of 200 books each to boost their School library!

Downloadable asset pack.

Have you read a book and wanted to tell everyone they should read it?  Well, now's your chance!  Send us a review of your must-read book and you could win books for you and your school. 

You can use one of these templates for your book review, one from school, or you can create your own. 

If there isn't a book that you would like to review, you can choose an e-book ( Oxford Owl have some great free ones) or alternatively write your own short story (maximum 600 words).

Summertime book review

Some things to include in your review:

Paint a quick picture – explain what the book is about, but no spoilers please!

Opinion – why do you like it? Why didn’t you like it?

Who else would like this book?

Would you recommend it to others, or not?

What could you win?

Alan MacDonald is the author of the 'Dirty Bertie' series and other popular books such as 'The Prince of Pants' and 'Iggy of the Urks'. He has also worked on writing for Television shows such as 'Horrid Henry' and 'The Tweenies'. He will host a virtual Q&A with the Winning classes in KS1 and KS2!

Thanks to the generosity of Wob , the two winning schools will also receive the fantastic prize of 200 books each to boost their School library!

The winning pupils and schools will each receive a certificate, and their book reviews will be featured on the Schoolreaders website and Social Media. The winning entrants from each Key stage will also receive a £25 book voucher.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION  

This is a competition for pupils of primary school age.

The child's name and age and an adult's contact details must be included with each entry.  

Please also include the name and town of the entrant’s primary school so we can contact them.

Send entries by e-mail to [email protected] or post them to: Schoolreaders, Bedford Heights, Brickhill Drive, Bedford, MK41 7PH.

We would be very happy for any teachers to use the competition as an English exercise (more chances for your school to win!). 

Please register if you would like your school to become a Schoolreaders partner school and receive free reading volunteers to support your pupils.

All entries need to be submitted by 5pm on Saturday 30th September 2023.

To find out more about Schoolreaders and

our volunteers, please click here  or use these links

Terms and Conditions -  Full terms and conditions can be found here

The Competition is open to any child attending a UK school, who is in Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2 on 6th June 2023.

• Entries must be submitted by 5pm on Saturday 30th September 2023.

Entries will be judged by members of the Schoolreaders Judging Panel. Our decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

The winners will be announced and notified within four weeks of the closing date.

If a school chooses to use this competition as a class exercise they must seek parental/ guardian consent for each entry and, if requested by Schoolreaders, must provide written evidence of such consent.

By entering the book review competition, participants and their parent(s) or guardian(s) are deemed to have accepted and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions.

Schoolreaders reserves the right to cancel or amend the Competition, and these Terms and Conditions.

Any changes will be notified to participants as soon as possible by Schoolreaders.

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Best Memoir Writing Contests in 2024

Showing 39 contests that match your search.

Solar Flare

Sunspot Literary Journal

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Script Writing, and Short Story

Sunspot Lit is looking for one work, including a novel or novella excerpt, that provides a flare of creative energy. Literary or genre accepted. Enter through Submittable or Duotrope. Learn more: https://sunspotlit.com/contests

Additional prizes:

Publication

💰 Entry fee: $10

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2024

Storytrade Book Awards

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Script Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Storytrade Book Awards recognizes excellence in small and independent publishing. Open to all indie authors and publishers including self-published authors, university presses, and small or independent presses, our annual awards program spotlights outstanding books in a number of fiction and nonfiction categories.

Medal, Book Stickers, Digital Seal

💰 Entry fee: $75

📅 Deadline: June 30, 2024

The 2022 First Chapter Book Contest

TheNextBigWriter, LLC

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Novel, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

Have a book or a novel idea you've been noodling? Enter your first chapter into the Booksie First Chapter Contest and see how it does. You don't need to have finished the book. You don't even need more than the first chapter. We're looking for a start that will grab our attention, that is original, that is well written, and that makes us want to beg you to see what comes next. And for those we find, we'll provide some awards to inspire you to finish writing the book or, if finished, to help get it published.

Gold contest badge.

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: May 14, 2022 (Expired)

Craft your masterpiece in Reedsy Studio

Plan, write, edit, and format your book in our free app made for authors.

Learn more about Reedsy Studio .

A Very Short Story Contest

Gotham Writers Workshop

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, and Non-fiction

Write a great short story in ten words or fewer. Submit it to our contest. Entry is free. Winner of the bet gets a free Gotham class.

Free writing class from Gotham Writers Workshop.

Narratively 2023 Memoir Prize

Narratively

Genres: Essay, Humor, Memoir, and Non-fiction

Narratively is currently accepting submissions for their 2023 Memoir Prize. They are looking for revealing and emotional first-person nonfiction narratives from unique and overlooked points of view. The guest judge is New York Times bestselling memoirist Stephanie Land.

$1,000 and publication

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: November 30, 2023 (Expired)

Share Your Story

FanStory.com Inc.

Genres: Essay and Memoir

Write about an event in your life. Everyone has a memoir. Not an autobiography. Too much concern about fact and convention. A memoir gives us the ability to write about our life with the option to create and fabricate and to make sense of a life, or part of that life.

📅 Deadline: August 13, 2024

Writing MAGIC

Sadie Tells Stories

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Young Adult

Are you an author who loves magic? Do you have an idea for a super short story that needs to be shared with the world? If you answered yes to both of those questions this contest is for you! The story can be about anything magical. Maybe it’s something that you’ve experienced in real life or it’s something you’ve created. Maybe it’s the start of a great idea. Maybe it’ll be the thing that inspires you to finally publish your book.

📅 Deadline: April 01, 2024 (Expired)

Literary and Photographic Contest 2023-2024

Hispanic Culture Review

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Poetry

As we move forward we carry our culture wherever we go. It keeps us alive. This is why we propose the theme to be “¡Hacia delante!”. A phrase that means to move forward. This year we ask that you think about the following questions: What keeps you moving forward? What do you carry with you going into the future? How do you celebrate your successes, your dreams, and your culture?

Publication in magazine

📅 Deadline: February 07, 2024 (Expired)

Brink Literary Journal Award for Hybrid Writing

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Science Writing, and Short Story

The Brink Literary Journal Award for Hybrid Writing will be administered to the winner of a literary contest designed to champion innovative hybrid and cross-genre work.

💰 Entry fee: $22

📅 Deadline: February 16, 2024 (Expired)

Red Hen Press Women's Prose Prize

Red Hen Press

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story, Essay, Memoir, and Novel

Established in 2018, the Women’s Prose Prize is for previously unpublished, original work of prose. Novels, short story collections, memoirs, essay collections, and all other forms of prose writing are eligible for consideration. The awarded manuscript is selected through a biennial competition, held in even-numbered years, that is open to all writers who identify as women.

Publication by Red Hen Press

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: February 28, 2024 (Expired)

Goldilocks Zone

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Script Writing, and Short Story

Sunspot Lit is looking for the perfect combination of craft and appeal in stories, CNF, novel or novella excerpts, artwork, graphic novels, poems, scripts/screenplays. Literary and genre accepted. Enter through Submittable or Duotrope.

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024 (Expired)

Indignor Play House Annual Short Story Competition

Indignor House Publishing

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

Indignor House Publishing is proud to announce that our annual writing competition (INDIGNOR PLAYHOUSE Short Story Annual Competition) is officially open with expected publication in the fall of 2024. Up to 25 submissions will be accepted for inclusion in the annual anthology.

2nd: $250 | 3rd: $150

📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)

Geminga: $250 for Tiny Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, or Art

Sunspot Lit

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Script Writing, Short Story, and Novella

Geminga is a neutron star so small it was difficult to detect. With Geminga: $500 for Tiny Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, or Art, Sunspot Lit honors the power of the small. No restrictions on theme or category. Word limit is 100 for fiction and nonfiction. Micropoetry is limited to 140 characters. Graphic novels should be 4 pages or less.

Publication in digital and print

💰 Entry fee: $12

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2024 (Expired)

North Street Book Prize

Winning Writers

Genres: Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Children's, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

Submit a self-published or hybrid-published book, up to 200,000 words in length. One grand prize winner will receive $10,000, a marketing analysis and one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a $300 credit at BookBaby, three months of Plus service (a $207 value) and a $500 account credit from Book Award Pro, and 3 free ads in the Winning Writers newsletter (a $525 value)

$1,000 for top winner in each category | $300 for honorable mentions

📅 Deadline: May 01, 2024 (Expired)

Climate Change Writing Competition

Write the World

Genres: Essay, Memoir, and Non-fiction

This month, dear writers, ahead of COP27, help us raise the voices of young people in this urgent fight. In a piece of personal narrative, tell the world’s leaders gathering in how climate change impacts you. How has this crisis changed your environment, your community, your sense of the future? Storytelling, after all, plays a critical role in helping us grasp the emergency through which we are all living, igniting empathy in readers and listeners—itself a precursor to action.

Runner-up: $50

📅 Deadline: October 18, 2022 (Expired)

Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction Award

Trio House Press

We seek un-agented full-length creative nonfiction manuscripts including memoir, essay collections, etc. 50,000 - 80,000 words.

📅 Deadline: May 15, 2024 (Expired)

Askew's Word on the Lake Writing Contest

Shuswap Association of Writers

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Essay, Memoir, and Short Story

Whether you’re an established or emerging writer, the Askew’s Word on the Lake Writing Contest has a place for you. Part of the Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival in Salmon Arm, BC, the contest is open to submissions in short fiction (up to 2,000 words), nonfiction (up to 2,000 words), and poetry (up to three one-page poems).

💰 Entry fee: $11

Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize is a writing competition sponsored by the stage and radio series Selected Shorts. Selected Shorts is recorded for Public Radio and heard nationally on both the radio and its weekly podcast. This years entries will be judged by Carmen Maria Machado (In the Dream House, Her Body and Other Parties).

$1000 + free 10 week course with Gotham Writers

Rigel 2024: $500 for Prose, Poetry, Art, or Graphic Novel

Literary or genre works accepted. Winner receives $500 plus publication, while runners-up and finalists are offered publication. No restrictions on theme or category. Closes: February 29. Entry fee: $12.50. Enter as many times as you like through Submittable or Duotrope

$500 + publication

Runners-up and finalists are offered publication

📅 Deadline: February 29, 2024 (Expired)

Personal Essay Competition 2024

We want to hear about an experience in your life, rife with characters and description and conflict and scene… but we also want to hear how you make sense of this experience, how it sits with you, and why it has surfaced as writing. Open a window into your life and invite your readers to enter.

Best entry: $100

Runner up: $50 | Best peer review: $50

📅 Deadline: June 24, 2024

The Letter Review Prize for Books

The Letter Review

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Letter Review Prize for Books is open to writers from anywhere in the world. Seeking most unpublished (we accept some self/indie published) novels, novellas, story collections, nonfiction, poetry etc. 20 entries are longlisted.

$1000 USD shared by 3 winners

International Voices in Creative Nonfiction Competition

Vine Leaves Press

Genres: Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Novel

Small presses have potential for significant impact, and at Vine Leaves Press, we take this responsibility quite seriously. It is our responsibility to give marginalized groups the opportunity to establish literary legacies that feel rich and vast. Why? To sustain hope for the world to become a more loving, tolerable, and open space. It always begins with art. That is why we have launched this writing competition.

Book publication

📅 Deadline: July 01, 2024

100 Word Writing Contest

Tadpole Press

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Children's, Poetry, Romance, Short Story, Suspense, and Travel

Can you write a story using 100 words or less? Pieces will be judged on creativity, uniqueness, and how the story captures a new angle, breaks through stereotypes, and expands our beliefs about what's possible or unexpectedly delights us. In addition, we are looking for writing that is clever or unique, inspires us, and crafts a compelling and complete story. The first-place prize has doubled to $2,000 USD.

2nd: writing coach package

💰 Entry fee: $15

📅 Deadline: November 30, 2024

Work-In-Progress (WIP) Contest

Unleash Press

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Young Adult

We aim to assist writers in the completion of an important literary project and vision. The Unleash WIP Award offers writers support in the amount of $500 to supplement costs to aid in the completion of a book-length work of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Writers will also receive editorial feedback, coaching meetings, and an excerpt/interview feature in Unleash Lit.

Coaching, interview, and editorial support

💰 Entry fee: $35

📅 Deadline: July 15, 2024

The Book of the Year Awards

The Independent Author Network

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Crime, and Short Story

The Independent Author Network presents the 10th Annual IAN Book of the Year Awards, an international contest open to all authors with 55 fiction and non-fiction categories. Winners are eligible to receive a share of cash prizes of $6,000 USD. Open to all English language print and eBooks available for sale, including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors.

$6,000.00 USD in total cash prizes

💰 Entry fee: $49

📅 Deadline: August 16, 2024

The Rubery Prize

Rubery Book Awards

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult, and Romance

The Rubery Prize is a prestigious international book award seeking the best books by indie writers, self published authors and books published by independent presses, judged by reputable judges. Through our reputation of finding quality and outstanding books we aim to bring recognition to the works that win and heighten an author's profile.

£200, a write-up

💰 Entry fee: $60

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)

The International Amy MacRae Award for Memoir

Memoir Writing Ink

Genres: Memoir, Non-fiction, and Short Story

Original, unpublished works of memoir writing up to 2000 words. The winner will be interviewed and the winning story published on Alison Wearing’s website and featured in the Memoir Writing Ink program. This award was created in celebration of the life of Amy Macrae and in support of her living legacy to improve the outcomes of women with ovarian cancer. Submissions accepted between April 15 to June 30, 2024.

The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

Free to enter. Seeking 0-5000 word (poetry: 15 pgs) excerpts of unpublished books (Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction), including most self-published and indie-published works. 2-4 Winners (publication of extract is optional). We Shortlist 10-20 writers. Open to writers from anywhere in the world, with no theme or genre restrictions. Judged blind.

Optional Publication of Excerpt, Letter of Recommendation

Vocal Challenges

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Short Story

Enter themed storytelling contests to put your creativity to the test and be in with a chance of winning cash prizes and more. To submit, you'll need to sign up for a monthly fee of $9.99, or $4.99/month for 3 months.

$1,000 — $5,000

📅 Deadline: March 07, 2024 (Expired)

Anthology Personal Memoir Competition 2024

Anthology Magazine

Genres: Memoir

Everyone has a story to tell. What’s yours? Authors are invited to share a unique life experience. Whether your memoir recounts a transformative journey, a poignant moment, or a life-altering event, we welcome your story. The Anthology Personal Memoir Competition is open to original and previously unpublished memoirs in the English language by writers of any nationality, living anywhere in the world.

📅 Deadline: August 31, 2024

Fish Short Memoir Prize

Fish Publishing

Everyone has a memoir in them. Go for it! Write a piece of your life, send it to Fish. Qian Julie Wang, author of her memoir Beautiful Country, will select 10 short memoirs to be published in the Fish Anthology 2022, which will be launched during the West Cork Literary Festival.

2nd: Writing Course (online) + €300 | 3rd: €300

💰 Entry fee: $18

Flash Memoir

Writer Advice

Genres: Memoir and Flash Fiction

WriterAdvice seeks flash memoir, a personal life story running 750 words or less.

Publication in our e-zine

📅 Deadline: June 02, 2024

Write By The Sea Literary Festival 2024

Write By the Sea

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, and Poetry

Write By The Sea is a dynamic boutique literary festival set in the beautiful fishing village of Kilmore Quay, County Wexford. The independent panel of judges will select the winners of each category and winners will be invited to read their work as part of the Festival.

2nd: €300 | 3rd: €200 | Publication

📅 Deadline: June 21, 2024

Memoir/Fiction Book Contest for IML Publications

Genres: Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Novel

We are a boutique publishing company that is dedicated to amplifying the voices of contemporary writers who are nomads and explorers of language, form, and the psyche. High-quality “unpublished” manuscript submissions of memoir, fiction and non-fiction entrusted to us will be read, sorted and pondered by our esteemed author, Jacqueline Gay Walley.

Possible publication

📅 Deadline: October 01, 2024

2024 Spring Prose & Poetry Contest

Onyx Publications

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Poetry, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Thriller

Our contest provides a First, Second, and Third prize for both prose and poetry. There are no themes or special requirements so just send us your best work. We recommend you read through previous editions or listen to the works and author interviews on our Story Discovery Podcast to get a sense of the range of creativity we enjoy.

$500 + publication and author interview on Story Discovery podcast

2nd: $150 | 3rd: $75

📅 Deadline: May 05, 2024 (Expired)

Related Resources:

• What is a Memoir? An Inside Look at Life Stories  (blog post)
• 21 Memoir Examples to Inspire Your Own (blog post)
• How to Outline a Memoir in 3 Powerful Steps (blog post)
• How to Write a Memoir: Tell Your Story in 9 Steps (blog post)
• How to Market a Memoir: Top Tips from the Experts (blog post)

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