writing competition win

“Make your characters want something right away even if it's only a glass of water. Characters paralyzed by the meaninglessness of modern life still have to drink water from time to time.” —Kurt Vonnegut

Everyone wants something. It might be as small as another hour of sleep or as profound as one more day with their terminally ill grandfather.

Whatever it is, their want—and the things they do to get it—drive the story.

Make sure your character has a goal they're pursuing. Stories about characters without goals ramble on, leaving readers confused about why they're reading at all. Stories about characters who have clear goals and make decisions to pursue them keep us hooked, turning the pages to see what happens next.

Pro tip: everyone needs something, too. Sometimes what they want and what they need aren't the same thing. If your character achieves their goal, will that actually make them happy? Or will they have to deal with some unwanted consequences?

7. Cut excess words so you can focus on the story.

Are you 500 words over the limit and stumped about what to cut? Look for:

Backstory. Yes, you need to know everything about your character—but your readers don’t. It’s tempting to include every detail of their history that led them to this moment, but that will actually slow down your story and burden readers with unnecessary information. Get it all out on the page in the first draft. Then, as you edit, challenge yourself to cut as much backstory as possible. Pro tip: if there’s an important piece of information readers (and characters) need to know, use it as a surprising revelation to fuel the plot.

Florid description. Does a detail move the story forward? Does it show us something about the character or the plot that we need to know? If so, great! If not, cut it. Unless your story is about rogue painters vandalizing the neighborhood waste collection route, we don’t need to know what color your character’s trash cans are.

Adverbs. Cut them ruthlessly. “The road to hell is paved with adverbs,” writes Stephen King, and that’s especially true when you’re limited to just 1,500 words. While you’re at it, cut these seven words, too . Save your space for words that will move the plot forward, not weigh the reader down with clunky prose.

(Did you catch all the adverbs I used in that paragraph? Ouch. We all fall short of editorial perfection.)

8. Make your characters choose.

This is the crux of the story, the crucial moment to focus on. At some point in the story, your character must make a decision .

Throughout the story, the tension is building. The plot is thickening, the stakes are rising, and the risks are becoming greater and greater.

As the story approaches the climax , bring your character to a critical dilemma where they must choose how they’re going to respond.

If your character limps along without making a choice, or if they let the people around them choose for them, the story will feel dissatisfying and incomplete.

But as they choose something and then face the consequences of their decision, we’ll be riveted, wondering, how will they handle what happens next?

9. Make sure something changes.

That moment of crisis, the decision your character makes, has consequences. Maybe they took a risk and it paid off—or maybe they crash and burn. Whatever the case, something must be different as a result of their choice.

Remember, stories are about change. If your character finishes the story in the same place they began, you’ll leave readers wondering why they bothered to read it in the first place.

Make sure the trials your character experiences and the decisions they make leave someone or something irreversibly changed by the end of the story.

On that note, beware of writing a story where the main plot is a dream sequence. Unless the waking world is somehow different as a result of the dream, it feels disingenuous. Any change in the dream world is erased when the character wakes up. Why read a story where nothing changes?

And yes, this applies to daydreams, too. Make sure the story isn’t all in the character’s head.

10. Nail the ending.

The first 1,450 words of your 1,500-word story are riveting. You don’t have a ton of space to wrap it up, but surely if you just tack on some kind of closing, it’ll be fine, right?

It’s very, very hard to write the perfect ending to a short story, the conclusion that will tie up the loose ends neatly but not too neatly, leaving the story feeling resolved and also a bit mysterious. The judges know this.

They’re still looking for the perfect ending .

What does this story need in order to reach closure? What will resolve the conflict? What will allow us to walk away satisfied that we’ve truly reached “The End”?

Remember, a short story is complete in and of itself. It’s not the first chapter of a novel, or a teaser into something larger. Make sure your story stands alone, and that when it ends, this tiny glimpse into your character’s life is truly done.

An otherwise excellent story that fails to nail the ending won’t take the top spot. But a surprising but inevitable climax that leads to a satisfying resolution will amaze the judges and make your story a strong contender to win it all.

Take the time to get your ending right.

Two More Notes About These “Essentials”

I’ve looked at all these elements from the perspective of a writing contest judge—what does our panel look for when we’re challenged to select a handful of winners from an abundance of engaging stories?

But there are two more ways you can read this list.

1. Feedback from the judges. One of the things that makes our writing contests special is the opportunity to get feedback directly from the judges on why your story did or didn’t win. I’ll let you in on a secret: 85 percent of the feedback judges write relates back to these ten elements. If you can master this list, they’ll find it a real challenge to give you any critical feedback.

(Want specific feedback on how your story did or didn’t fulfill these ten essentials? Join one of our writing contests and sign up for feedback from the judges!)

2. The secrets of great storytelling. A list like this can feel contrived: “Oh, you mean if I just sprinkle these ten arbitrary things into my story, it’ll be twisted so the judges like it?” But here’s the thing: the judges want to see these elements because they are fundamental skills of great storytelling . You don’t need a writing contest to apply them—master these skills, and you’ll become a better storyteller for any story.

The best way to master these storytelling fundamentals is by entering a writing contest. Plus, you might win a prize! Ready to enter?

Join our next contest »

Which of these essentials do you find the most challenging? Let us know in the comments !

For the next fifteen minutes , draft a story based on our last contest theme: haunted. Focus on essentials four and five: hook your readers with a great opening line, and get straight to the action.

When you’re done, share your story the practice box below, and be sure to leave feedback for your fellow writers.

Enter your practice here:

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Alice Sudlow

Alice Sudlow is the Editor-in-Chief of The Write Practice and a Story Grid certified developmental editor. Her specialty is in crafting transformative character arcs in young adult novels. She also has a keen eye for comma splices, misplaced hyphens, and well-turned sentences, and is known for her eagle-eyed copywriter skills. Get her free guide to how to edit your novel at alicesudlow.com .

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THE BIG LIST OF INTERNATIONAL WRITING COMPETITIONS

An extensive list of the best international writing competitions. free to enter contests in yellow. new contests added regularly. if you run a writing competition and would like it added to the list, submit it here..

Competitions are a great way to get your work out there and to challenge yourself as a writer. If you're looking for some international writing competitions to enter, look no further. Whether you’re looking for short story contests, essay or memoir competitions, novel awards, flash fiction, or poetry; we’ve got it covered. This list includes competitions open to writers from all over the world. So get your entry ready and start crossing your fingers that you'll be one of the winners!

Why You Should Enter Writing Competitions

Here are some great reasons to start entering your writing into contests:

The prize. Most contests have a pretty good cash prize on offer. Since a lot of organisations will publish the winning entry, it’s important to choose a writing contest with a prize worthy of handing over publishing rights to your story. Some contests will also offer other great prizes like mentoring sessions or introductions to agents.

The prestige and status of winning. This isn’t just for bragging rights, winning writing competitions can look really good when you come to query editors, agents, or publishers.

The exposure. It’s important to get your name out there. A competition win will help spread the word about a new name in the industry.

The opportunity to challenge yourself to write in new styles and genres, or to explore themes and topics you wouldn’t otherwise write about. Many writing competitions have interesting themes or prompts., this can push your writing in new and exciting directions.

Motivation to write. The thrill and excitement of a writing contest can sometimes spur you on with your writing. Submitting your new story for a contest can really help keep you going when otherwise you might start to flag. And the looming deadline can also be a great motivator!

They’re a great way to get unblocked. Writing competitions with prompts can be really effective at getting rid of writers’ block.

A chance to get feedback on your writing. Some competitions offer judges’ critique or the opportunity to get feedback from your peers. This can be invaluable because getting feedback on your writing is one of the surest ways to see your work improve.

How to Choose the Right Competition

Here are some factors to consider when deciding which contest to enter:

Is there an entry fee? There’s nothing wrong with companies charging entry fees. These are not lotteries where the winning entry is pulled out of a hat! Putting on writing contests takes an awful lot of work and we should know! Money from entry fees will go towards the administrative costs of running the contest, compensating the judges for their time and, of course, to fund the prize. That being said, you should still factor in the entry fee when making your decision. Is it a fair amount? Is it something you can afford to lose? Is the prize worth the fee?

The prize. Is the prize worthy of your time, effort, or money spent on fees? For example, if a contest is only offering publication as a prize and they expect you to pay to enter, you’re being taken for a ride. You’re essentially giving them money to take your story from you.

Are they offering a way to get feedback on your story? Let’s face it, there are going to be a lot more losers than winners at the end of a contest. What are you getting out of it, besides the chance of winning? Some contests will provide judges’ feedback for an additional fee. Again, there’s nothing wrong with this, the judges should be compensated for their time. However, judges’ feedback can be pretty expensive and the value of that feedback can vary dramatically from judge to judge, contest to contest. You’ll usually end up paying quite a lot of money for one judge’s opinion on your story. We believe that peer feedback can be much more valuable. All our contests offer the chance to get free feedback from as many other participants in the contest as you want. Very often some of the other participants taking part in writing contests are just as qualified to give feedback as any judge.

How prestigious is the contest? This will determine how valuable winning the contest will be for furthering your writing career. However, very prestigious writing competitions will often have more participants and a much higher standard of entry. This makes these competitions the hardest ones to win.

Can you submit an existing story or will you have to write something new? In our opinion, the best contests to enter are the ones you’ll have to write a new story for. It can be tempting to take one story and enter it in as many contests as you can, but we think you should only do this if you’re really busy with other writing projects and you’re being as prolific a writer as you could wish to be. If this isn’t the case and you know you should (and want to be) writing more often, try to only enter contests that will see you write something new each time. The more you write, the better you become. Don’t miss out on any opportunities to write more and add to your canon of work!

How to Win a Writing Competition

Here are our top tips for winning a writing competition:

Choose the right contest. If winning is your goal, choose a contest you think suits your strengths. If pushing yourself as a writer is more important, choose the contest you think will challenge you the most. If you’re a new writer, choose a less well-known contest, but make sure they’re still offering a good competition! Don’t underestimate yourself and start entering any contest that will take your money!

Read the rules! All reputable contest will have official rules. Read them carefully! If you don’t follow the rules, you’re likely to be disqualified. Most organisations won’t inform participants if this happens. The worst outcome would be that you pay an entry fee, get disqualified without your knowledge and instead just assume you didn’t win because your story wasn’t good enough.

Read the submission instructions very carefully before you choose to take part and then make sure you read them again very carefully when you’re ready to submit. Don’t think you’ll just remember them from reading them once. Also, don’t think of the instructions as ‘suggestions’ on how to submit. They are instructions! Follow them to the letter or risk getting kicked out of the contest and not even knowing that your entry wasn’t considered.

Follow the theme. If the contest has a particular prompt, theme, or calls for a specific style of writing or genre, make sure your entry meets the requirements. Don’t assume the judges will love your story so much it won’t matter that it doesn’t fit within the parameters of the competition. Don’t forget, they’ll probably be publishing the winning entry alongside details of the theme or prompt. They won’t risk their credibility by choosing an entry that doesn’t fit. So don’t waste your time and money by submitting an old and unsuitable story, instead take this as an opportunity to write something new!

Don’t be afraid to interpret the theme or prompt in your own way. Although judges will probably disregard any entry that clearly doesn’t fit the theme, they will be on the lookout for a unique take.

Make sure your story is as good as it can be. This means that it has been properly edited. You don’t need to hire a professional editor or proof-reader, but you should edit it yourself many, many times over. You should also try uploading your entry to different devices because new formats can help you spot errors you would otherwise miss. You should also put your writing through editing software and ask friends or family to read it for errors. Most competitions will only permit you to enter your story once and won’t allow you to resubmit if you spot errors later. Make sure you only submit when it’s completely ready and check and double check you submit the correct file!

Check out the previous winners. This may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how few participants actually do this! We know this because we know how many people enter our contests and we can see how many people visit our winners’ page! Read the winning entries and look out for commonalities between the way they are written. This is not to say that you should copy the style, but instead figure out what these writers are doing that is impressive and make sure you’re doing the same sort of thing, but in your own way.

Make sure you really understand whichever style of writing you are hoping to submit. If you’re entering a short story competition, make sure you know the fundamentals of short story writing. There are plenty of resources online with tips for writing great short stories. In any contest you’ll be up against a certain amount of seasoned writers, writers who have studied creative writing, or even people who write as their profession. However, the majority of participants will be beginner writers who haven’t studied how to write short stories and some who may have actually never written a short story before. If you’re a beginner too, give yourself an advantage over these other new writers by teaching yourself the basics of short story writing before you begin. Of course, with writing, there are no hard and fast rules, but there are writing conventions and it can be a really good idea to brush up on them. There’s also a lot of resources online about what typically constitutes ‘good’ and ‘bad’ writing and the kinds of things judges and editors love to see (as well as plenty of things that can turn them off a story). For example, did you know that most writing competition judges will be put off by stories that begin with descriptions of weather? And yet, about 80% of stories submitted will begin in this way. These are the kinds of things it’s invaluable to know before you begin writing for contests. We even wrote a whole blog post called ‘Common Writing Mistakes in Entries to Our 7 Day Story Writing Challenges’ that addresses those common ‘errors’ new writers often make. Feel free to check it out, there’s plenty in there that will be applicable to any fiction contest.

The Big List of No-Fee Literary Magazines

100 awesome flash fiction prompts, prize: £500 each challenge.

Deadline: rolling

Entry: free

Prize: £1,000

For this short story challenge, all participants will be randomly assigned a science fiction trope. As soon as you receive your assignment you'll have until the closing time to write and submit a short story of no more than 5,000 words. The science fiction tropes chosen for this year’s challenge are:

Deadline: 6th Mar, 2023

Entry: £2.50/£5/£9

Prize: $1,000

For our 13th annual Poetry Open, we consider previously unpublished poems of any subject, style or length. Submit up to three poems. Six cash prizes plus online publication.

Deadline: 3rd Jan, 2023

Write yourself into history and become one of the greats with the Oxford Flash Fiction Prize. 1000 words, no minimum word limit.

Deadline: 31st Jan, 2023

Prize: $3,000

One of the largest awards open to unpublished writers, and the only one closed to professionals. We are the first magazine to pay pro rates and only accept submissions from new writers, paying new authors over $50,000 this year. One new writer receives the grand prize. We also choose the best stories, pay the authors above-professional rates, and publish them in our magazine. December's head judge is Creag Munroe.

Deadline: 1st Jan, 2023

Prize: $2,000

From January 1st to January 31st, submit short stories and essays of up to 25 pages or a set of 1-3 poems. Winners in each genre will receive $2,000 and publication.

Prize: $100

this year we invite you to reflect on the following questions: How do you or your community celebrate these connections? How do you value those experiences with those people who leave a mark on your life? 1 work will be awarded in each category: 1) photography & visual arts, 2) poetry, and 3) narrative/essay/academic investigation.

Deadline: 1st Feb, 2023

Entry: Free

Prize: $500

Established in 2001, The Robert Phillips Poetry Chapbook Prize highlights one book a year that excels in the chapbook format. Since 2019 the Prize comes with $500, a standard royalty contract, and 20 copies of the published book.

Deadline: 31st Mar, 2023

Prize: $2,500

The U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) partners with the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) on the annual National High School Essay Contest. The contest engages high school students in learning and writing about issues of peace and conflict, encouraging appreciation for diplomacy’s role in building partnerships that can advance peacebuilding and protect national security.

Deadline: 3rd Apr, 2023

Each year Black Lawrence Press will award The Big Moose Prize for an unpublished novel. The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers. The winner of this contest will receive book publication, a $1,000 cash award, and ten copies of the book. Prizes will be awarded on publication. The Big Moose Prize is open to traditional novels as well as novels-in-stories, novels-in-poems, and other hybrid forms that contain within them the spirit of a novel.

Prize: £5,000

Oscar’s Book Prize is an annual prize for the best under-fives book of the year. It is awarded in memory of Oscar Ashton and in partnership with Amazon, the Evening Standard and the National Literacy Trust.

Deadline: 16th Jan, 2023

This $1,000 award recognizes a poetry collection translated from any language into English and published in the previous calendar year. Established in 1976, it is given annually. A noted translator chooses the winning book.

Deadline: 15th Feb, 2023

Prize: £2,500

The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award is a celebration of innovative new writing from across the globe. Each year, the competition invites submissions of poetry that redefine the parameters of form, concept and technique.

Deadline: 8th Sept, 2023

Prize: $250

Write a poem, 30 lines or fewer on any subject, style, or form, typed or neatly hand printed.

Deadline: 19th Mar, 2023

Extraordinary stories about travel and the human spirit have been the cornerstones of our books since 1993. With the Solas Awards we honor writers whose work inspires others to explore. We’re looking for the best stories about travel and the world funny, illuminating, adventurous, uplifting, scary, inspiring, poignant stories that reflect the unique alchemy that occurs when you enter unfamiliar territory and begin to see the world differently as a result.

Deadline: 21st Sept, 2023

Prize: $150 CAD

A Canadian contest with an international flair. As part of our 25th anniversary celebration, we have increased the prize total to $1800 over six major categories: poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction, crime fiction, literary critical writing, and The Bill MacDonald prize for prose (A Northwestern Ontario setting must be central to the work).

Deadline: 28th Feb, 2023

Prize: Publication

The Trailblazer Review is an international high school literary magazine dedicated to celebrating and honoring indigenous culture through creative writing. Its Annual Cultural Heritage Contest accepts submissions of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction under 4000 words from middle and high school students (13-18 years old) on the subject of native culture and heritage.

Deadline: 20th Feb, 2023

Established to recognise and encourage creative writing and provide a platform for publication, this short story competition is open to original and previously unpublished short stories in the English language by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. There is no restriction on theme or style. Stories submitted must not exceed the maximum of 1,500 words.

Deadline: 31 Aug, 2023

Every year, the EngineerGirl website sponsors a contest dealing with engineering and its impact on our world. The topic and detailed instructions for the contest are posted in September with a deadline for submissions on February 1st of the following year. Winners are announced in the spring.

The $1000 for 1000 Words fiction writing contest is open to all students enrolled in grades 6-12. Each entrant may submit a fiction piece consisting of exactly 1,000 words (not including title or author’s name). The fiction piece can be on any topic, as long as it is not vulgar or offensive, does not use inappropriate profanity, and is the original work of the entrant not previously published.

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 2023.

We are not concerned with genre distinctions. Send us the best you have; we want only for it to be thoughtful, intelligent, and beautiful. We want art that grows in complexity upon each visitation; we enjoy ornate, cerebral, and voluptuous phrases executed with thematic intent.

Deadline: 22nd Feb, 2023

Prize: $5,000

The Atlanta Shakespeare Company is launching a new playwriting initiative for historically marginalized artists. The "Muse Of Fire Playwriting Festival'' invites playwrights of the global majority to create a full-length play that reimagines Shakespeare’s themes and plots through the lens of BIPOC America.

Deadline: 15th Apr, 2023

Prize: $10,000

A prize of $10,000 is given annually for a novel-in-progress by a U.S. writer who has not published a novel. Runners-up will receive $1000. A selection from the winning work is published in Provincetown Arts.

Deadline: 15th Mar, 2023

Write a short story, 5 pages maximum length, on any subject or theme, fiction, non-fiction, creative nonfiction (including essay compositions, diary, journal entries, short stage plays, screenplays, and screenwriting). All entries must be either typed or legibly hand printed. Multiple and simultaneous poetry and short story entries are accepted.

Stories Through The Ages - Baby Boomers Plus 2023 is open to people born 1966 or earlier. The deadline for entries is June 15, 2023. There is no prompt for the contest. Authors may write about any topic. The entry fee is $20 ($15 if submitting more than one story). The word count for this contest is 900 - 5000 words. Cash prizes of $500, $200 and $100 will be awarded. There will be a minimum of 15 finalists whose story will appear in the book.

Deadline: 15th Jun, 2023

It may be the sprint of creative writing but that doesn’t mean you can rush the creative process. Take us somewhere fast then let your story marinade in the reader's mind. Make every one of your 250 words count. There is no minimum number of words, just like there is no limit to your imagination. They say lightning doesn't strike twice but we want to feel the electricity in your story right from the beginning through to the very end.

Deadline: 31st May, 2023

You don't have to be Tennyson. Just talented. All we ask is that you please keep poems to 42 lines, max. You can, of course, write less. In addition to the prize money, the top three poems are automatically entered into the Forward Prize For Poetry’s best single poem competition, with the chance to win a further £1000. This exclusive award is not open to the public. You can write about absolutely anything but whatever your rhyme or reason, we want to read your poetry.

The World Historian Student Essay Competition is an international competition open to students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs. Membership in the World History Association is not a requirement for submission. Past winners may not compete in the same category again.

Deadline: $500

Prize: $452

Our Flash contest is now open and will run until 1st January 2023. The Short Story contest begins on the same date and will run until 31st May 2023.

The Ambroggio Prize is a $1,000 publication prize given for a book-length poetry manuscript originally written in Spanish and with an English translation. The winning manuscript is published by Bilingual Press/Editorial Bilingüe, publisher of literary works, scholarship, and art books by or about U.S. Hispanics.

Prize: $577

The Debut Dagger is a competition for the opening of a crime novel by a writer who isn’t represented by an agent by the time the competition closes, and who has never had a traditional contract for any novel of any length, or who has never self-published any novel of any length in the last 5 years. Writers submit their opening 3,000 words and a 1,500 word synopsis. Entries from shortlisted writers are sent to UK literary agents and publishers. Every year, authors find representation this way.

Prize: $700 CAD

Our judge, Michelle Barker, will be asking herself one question: does this query letter convince me that I'm in the hands of an adept novelist with a unique and engaging story to tell?

Deadline: 31st Jan

Prize: Royalty advance of £10,000

We're looking for original ideas, a fresh voice, a diverse range of entries and stories that children will love! To enter, you must have written a full-length novel suitable for children/young adults aged between 7 and 18 years. We suggest a minimum of 30,000 words and ask that manuscripts do not exceed 80,000 words. The IET 150 Award will be awarded to a manuscript that celebrates Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

Deadline: 1st Jun, 2023

The Ellen Meloy Fund for Desert Writers grants one $5,000 award in the spring of each year. Only proposals for literary or creative nonfiction book projects will be considered. No fiction or poetry proposals will be reviewed.

Deadline: 15th Jan, 2023

Welcome to the 30th annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest. Submit published or unpublished work. $8,000 in prizes.

Deadline: 30th Apr, 2023

Prize: £500

Every year since 2014, the CWA and the Margery Allingham Society have jointly held an international competition for a short story of up to 3,500 words. Our mission is to find the best unpublished short mystery, and not only that, but one which fits into Golden Age crime writer Margery Allingham’s definition of what makes a great story. Entries are invited from all writers, published or unpublished, writing in English.

Our mission is to find the best unpublished short mystery — one that fits into legendary crime writer Margery’s definition of what makes a great story: “The Mystery remains box-shaped, at once a prison and a refuge. Its four walls are, roughly, a Crime, a Mystery, an Enquiry and a Conclusion with an Element of Satisfaction in it.”

Enter our 91st Annual Writing Competition for the chance to have your work be seen by editors and agents! Almost 500 winners will be chosen. The top winning entries of this writing contest will also be on display in the Annual Writer’s Digest Competition Collection.

Deadline: 5th May, 2023

Prize: $560

Our annual flagship competition, the Stringybark Stories Open Short Story Award 2023, is now bigger than ever! Thanks to Graeme Simpson and Anne Buist, a record prize pool of over $1300 is on offer. The theme is open, the only constraint is that there must be a reference to Australia somewhere in the story. It doesn't matter how small a link there is (it could be a jar of vegemite on the counter), there just needs to be one!

Deadline: 12th Feb, 2023

Prize: $260

The Shepton Snowdrop Festival is inviting poets, young and old, to pen a poem that reflects the power of nature, its reawakening, and the hope it brings. ‘Hope in nature’ is the theme for the 2022 Poetry Competition. During the short days and long evenings of winter, the green tips and delicate flowers of the snowdrop emerge to give hope and a sense of renewal.

Deadline: 8th Jan, 2023

We’re interested in flash fiction pieces of between 250 and 1,000 words. We’re seeking the finest work we can find that incorporates an uncanny element. Ghost stories are welcome, of course—but your submission may involve any paranormal or supernatural theme, as well as magic realism. What we’re looking for is superb writing, fresh perspectives, and maybe a few surprises.

Gail Honeyman was shortlisted in our competition and went on to write Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, winning the Costa debut novel award. All the winning and highly commended pieces are entered into the Sunday Times Audible competition, top prize £30,000. UK based writers are entered into the BBC short story competition. That's not all, literary agent A.M. Heath reads all the shortlist and considers representation. Long story short? You are 5,000 words away from success.

The 2021 Nervous Ghost Press Book Prizes are open to outstanding works of poetry and prose by anyone living in the United States of America. All work and all writers, from any point in their careers, are welcome to submit their work and get a chance of publication. Please submit a completed a manuscript (50,000-100,000 words for prose, 48-128 pages for poetry).

Prize: £1,500

Your novel doesn't have to be finished. We initially need only 5,000 to 8,000 words plus a 300 word synopsis. If you're long listed we'll ask for a total of 15,000 words, including your original word count. Shortlisted? Then we need a total 30,000 words, again including your original entry and long listed word count. It all adds up to an incredible opportunity.

Prize: £100

The contest is a loving tribute to Anne Marie Gracie, who died of cancer. All profits from the competition will go to Ayrshire Cancer Support.

Share a 2-4-2. What's that? That's a poem with only three lines that has 8 syllables total! So the first line of your poem will have two syllables. The second line will have four. And the final line will have two again. Cash prize to the winner.

Deadline: 11th July, 2023

Hidden River Arts offers a yearly prize of $1000 and publication in Hidden River Press, an imprint of Hidden River Publishing, for an unpublished book-length collection of poetry between 75 and 100 pages long.

Deadline: 21st Feb, 2023

Prize: publishing contract

Every year, the Killer Nashville Claymore Award assists new and rebranding English-language fiction authors get published, including possible agent representation, book advances, editor deals, and movie and television sales. While we cannot guarantee that winners and finalists of this award will receive publication, dozens of winners & runners-up of the Claymore award have gone on to find great success in their careers and many of them attribute that success to this award.

Deadline: 1st Apr, 2023

The Louise Bogan Award for Artistic Merit and Excellence includes $1,000, publication, and twenty books. The Louise Bogan Award for Artistic Merit and Excellence is open to ALL poets, regardless of publication history.

Prize: £700

The New Writers Flash Fiction Competition 2022 open for entries of up to 300 words on any theme and from anywhere in the world (though entries must be written in English). There's a £1,000 prize pool with £700 for the winner (2nd: £200 and 3rd: £100), and £1.00 from each entry will be donated to First Story (https://firststory.org.uk/), England's leading creative writing charity for young people.

Deadline: 30th Nov, 2022

Prize: $3,500

Students currently enrolled in a medical school or program are encouraged to submit to our Medical Student Essay Contest. Essays can be on any topic as it relates to medicine. Art, history, and literature topics are preferred.

Prize: $500 scholarship

AWP will offer three scholarships of $500 each to be awarded to three first-place winners in the genres of creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. These scholarships must be used to attend a writers’ conference, center, retreat, festival, or residency at one of the AWP member programs in the Directory of Conferences & Centers. All winners and six finalists will also receive a one-year individual membership.

Prize: $50,000

The Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowships are $50,000 awards given to honor poets of literary merit appointed to serve in civic positions and to enable them to undertake meaningful, impactful, and innovative projects that engage their fellow residents, including youth, with poetry, helping to address issues important to their communities.

Deadline: 17th Feb, 2023

The challenge of this writing contest is to share a story that uses exactly 100 words. Write about anything but can you share a complete story with only 100 words?

Deadline: 8th July, 2023

Established in 2001, The Clay Reynolds Novella Prize highlights one book a year that excels in the novella format. Since 2019 the Prize comes with $500, a standard royalty contract, and 20 copies of the published book.

Prize: Certificate

Through collaboration and community, shared stories and shared experiences, NCTE supports teachers and their students in classrooms, on college campuses, and in online learning environments. The Promising Young Writers Program stimulates and recognizes the writing talents of eighth-grade students and to emphasize the importance of writing skills among eighth-grade students.

The Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing was created in 2016 to honor outstanding debut literary works by first-generation immigrants, awarded for fiction and nonfiction in alternating years. The winner receives $10,000 and publication by Restless Books.

Prize: $1,600

As we adjust to new realities, inflationary pressures, geo-political tensions, environmental challenges and more it’s time to imagine and explore. The Minds Shine Bright writing competition Confidence 2023 is open and calling for entries of short stories, short scripts, flash fiction and poetry which explore the theme of confidence in some way.

The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award is a celebration of innovative new writing from across the globe. Each year, the competition invites submissions of short fiction that redefine the parameters of form, concept and technique.

We’re looking for short stories of up to 3,000 words. Stories can be any theme, genre, or subject — the world is your oyster! Top prize is £1,000 plus a plus a free creative writing course of your choice and publication on our site. Two runners up will receive £200 each.

Deadline: 30th Sep, 2022

The Trio Award for First or Second Book includes $1,000, publication, and twenty books. The Trio Award for First or Second Book is only open to poets with less than two books published.

Write a true story about a pet in 300 words or less! To make it extra enjoyable, please show us a picture of your pet if you can! It can be silly, sad, scary, or any adjective so long as it involves your furry or scaly friend.

Prize: £20 Amazon Voucher (or alternative)

The theme for this quarter’s short story competition is ‘Connections’. What this means to you is entirely subjective. Your piece may discuss familial connections, friendships, re-establishing old relationships, or anything that sees a connection being formed or, alternatively, falling apart.

Deadline: 30th Jun, 2022

We accept stories of any length, written in English, that fit the theme ‘Fiction about a Stranger’.

Poetry.com offers monthly contests for poets worldwide to gain motivation, inspiration and exposure, while building passion and enjoyment for the written creative process! How are winners chosen? Our contest boasts a clever twist: poems remain anonymous whilst applicants vote on what they believe should be the winning entry.

Deadline: 31st Dec, 2022

Each year Third Wednesday awards 3 $100 prizes in its annual poetry contest. For this year's contest, entries will be accepted from November 1, 2020 through February 15, 2021. We will accept contest entries of up to 3 previously unpublished poems of any style and subject matter. There is no limit on length.

Prize: publication on website

Free flash fiction competition for stories up to 200 words with a twist. Competition always open, with a winner announced and published online after 100 entries received (story count on website). Feedback and the PDF ‘An introduction the writing good flash fiction’ offered for (£5 or equivalent).

Deadline: 1st Dec, 2022

Prize: $750

The Miami University Novella Prize is awarded annually to a novella-length manuscript of original fiction (18,000–40,000 words). The winner receives $750, a standard contract, publication and 10 copies of the book.

Deadline: 30th Aug, 2022

Prize: £300

This quarterly open-themed competition has closing dates of 31st March, 30th June, 30th September and 31st December. The results will be announced about six weeks after each closing date and the three winning entries each quarter will be published on the website.

Prize: $1,300

The 2022 Grindstone International Novel Prize is open to authors from all around the world, and is aimed at discovering and elevating new and unsung authors. Authors may submit finished or part-finished manuscripts providing they are not currently represented by an agent. We forward all longlisted works to some of the best agencies in the UK such as Curtis Brown Books, Conville and Walsh, Janklow & Nesbitt, the Paper Literary Agency, the Good Literary Agency, and so many more. A full list can be found on our Affiliated Agents Page.

Deadline: 1st Oct, 2022

The annual Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry awards $2000 plus publication for a full-length poetry collection. The Prize is awarded for an unpublished, full-length volume of poems by a U.S. author, which includes foreign nationals living and writing in the U.S. and U.S. citizens living abroad.

Deadline: 16th Jul, 2022

Prize: award

Write fantasy, futuristic, or paranormal? Then the On the Far Side Contest is for you!! Welcome dragons, witches, ghosties, psychics, vampires, shapeshifters, unicorns, and any creature your imagination can conjure up in a galaxy far, far away, in a time long past, or in your very own backyard.

Deadline: 31st Jul, 2022

Prize: €500 and a one year subscription to Anthology magazine

Entries are now invited for the Anthology Poetry Award. Established to recognise and encourage excellence in the craft of poetry writing and to provide a platform for publication, it is open to original and previously unpublished poems in the English language. Poems submitted must be on the theme of ‘Freedom’ and should not exceed 40 lines.

Deadline: 31st Oct, 2022

Page Turner is looking for your short story that teens will read in one sitting because they can't stop!

Deadline: 30th Jul, 2022

For over thirteen years, the Poetry of the Sacred contest has received thousands of submissions touching every aspect of spiritual life. Poetry has been called ‘the language of the soul’ and this annual contest encourages poets to awaken the reader to the deep meaning and beauty of a contemplative life. Poems are evaluated based on literary excellence, authenticity and spiritual tenor. 

Deadline: 1st Aug, 2022

Prize: Possible contract with Mystery Writers of America

Created in 2009, the Killer Nashville Claymore Award assists new and rebranding English-language fiction authors to get published, including possible agent representation, book advances, editor deals, and movie and television sales. 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 Dante Rossetti Awards Categories are: Contemporary Young Adult; SFF & Paranormal; Dystopian/Edgy/Urban; Mystery/Thriller/Suspense; Historical Young Adult; YA Adventure/Romance. The Chanticleer Prize Package includes: A Prize Ribbon to use in promotion at book signings and book festivals Digital Badges for display on your website or incorporation into book covers Book stickers to identify your print books to bookstore shoppers as they browse.

Writers of short fiction are invited to enter the Anthology Short Story Award. Established to recognise and encourage creative writing and provide a platform for publication, it is open to original and previously unpublished short stories in the English language. Stories submitted must be on the theme of ‘Memories’ and not exceed the maximum of 1,500 words.

Deadline: 31st Aug, 2022

The Fall Edition Contest is an open, mixed-category contest. In other words, we have no limitations or expectations on which types of works will win awards. Selections are based on originality, voice, and style. Last years contest had 4 prose winners and 2 poetry winners.

Deadline: 28th Aug, 2022

Prize: Luxury expedition cruise to Greenland for two people

Do you have a way with words? Love to regale your friends and family with tales from your travels? If that’s a yes, then our Travel Writing Competition is just the thing for you. For your chance to win, simply write no more than 500 words on an inspiring travel experience, which could be anything from mountaineering in Patagonia to a hike in Pembrokeshire.

Deadline: 23rd Jul, 2022

Prize: $400

International contest looking for the best poetry books from Indies, small press and independent publishers. Prizes: 1st - £300; 2nd - £150; 3rd - £75; plus gold, silver, bronze logo for use on book, publicity, reviews on Amazon & Goodreads. Publication, bio, book cover all linked on our website. Overall winner gets 1 year subscription to PN Review. Judge: John Evans.

Deadline: 31st, Jul, 2022

Write an essence poem. This is a poem of two lines with six syllables per line, each containing an internal rhyme and an ending rhyme.

Deadline: 5th Dec, 2022

Established in 1998, in honor of the poet Benjamin Saltman (1927–1999), this award is for a previously unpublished original collection of poetry. The awarded collection is selected through an annual competition that is open to all poets.

Prize: Publication in Rattle Magazine

Rattle is a publication of the Rattle Foundation, an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the practice of poetry, and is not affiliated with any other organization. The author of the poem must have been age 15 or younger when the poem was written, and 18 or younger when submitted.

Deadline: 15th Nov, 2022

Deadline: 21st Sep, 2022

The competition is for stories of up to five thousand words on any theme. We are delighted that Sunday Times Bestselling author, Trisha Ashley is once again offering an award. This year she has asked us for a selection of 'engaging and quirky' stories to choose from.

Prize: $200

Send in your short story in mystery, suspense, or thriller style. Entries may be up to 2500 words (about 10 double-spaced pages). It’s loads of fun and a good exercise of your writing skills.

Share a story that starts with this sentence: I'm glad you made it. Now continue the story. What will you write about? What is going on here? You decide. Cash prize!

Deadline: 14th Oct, 2022

Lune Spark's yearly contest aims to encourage children to engage in creating writing. Submit a story up to 1,500 words long for a chance to get published.

The Megaphone Prize by Radix Media is dedicated to publishing timely and interrogative work by debut writers of color. This year, the prize is open to short story collections. Deesha Philyaw, author of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, will judge and choose the winning manuscript.

Deadline: 15th Oct, 2022

Now in our ninth year of competition, we are an Edinburgh-based, international award for unpublished and self-published novelists in all genres for adults and YA. This year's judge is Charlotte Seymour, literary agent at Johnson & Alcock. On top of the £1,500 top prize, the best entry from the UK and Ireland will receive a place on a writing course at Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre.

Deadline: 1st Nov, 2022

Prize: $150

The Super Challenge is a prompted, 48-hour flash competition alternating between fiction and creative nonfiction. Prompts are released on a Friday night; writers have 48 hours to craft a response in 1,000 words or fewer. Professional editors read all entries and provide detailed feedback on each. The top writers move on to round 2 with new prompts.

Deadline: 23rd Dec, 2022

Seeking Black Midwestern writers 18 years and older to submit an original fiction or nonfiction children’s story for a picture book. Manuscripts 300–800 words (ages 4–8) or 50–125 words (ages 0–4) in length. Must feature contemporary Black characters and culture.

Deadline: 24th Jul, 2022

Writers are invited to submit novels, short story collections and creative nonfiction manuscripts. The Editors' Prize winner receives a publication contract with Unleash Press and $1000 prize, along with 10 printed copies of the final book. We may also offer publication contracts to additional outstanding manuscripts.

Deadline: 31st Dec, 2023

Write a four line poem that has a specific syllable count. The first line has 1 syllable, the second line has 5 syllables, the third line has 5 syllables, and the last line has 9 syllables. The subject can be anything.

Deadline: 22nd Dec, 2022

Prize: £1,200

A competition for humorous short stories. 2,500 words max, no minimum. Total prize pot: £3,860. 40 prizes: 1st 1,200, 2nd £600, 3rd £300, 3x highly commended £150, 14 x shortlisted £75, 20 x longlisted (free early bird entry into next comp = £13 in value).

In addition to cash prize, the winner’s head appears on the front cover of the To Hull And Back Anthology. They are depicted riding a flaming motorcycle and holding a quill of wrath. The winner’s copy of the book is strapped to a Harley Davidson and filmed being ridden to Hull. And back. The winner can make the journey on Hilda the Hog if they wish, and appear in the video. All shortlisted stories published in anthology.

Deadline: 30th Jun, 2023

Entry: £13/£15

Prize: $300

Biopage is hosting a writing contest to remind people the benefits of writing. Each story (or once chapter of your stories) is limited to 5,000 characters or roughly 1,000 words. You can write about good life experience, or bad, embarrassing, frightening ones. You can win $300, and five runners-up can win $100 each.

Deadline: 18th Oct, 2022

To win, write a six word story, poem, memoir, or joke. Free to enter, with the chance to get your tiny creation published, and you crowned as the Six Word Wonder - winning $100. Last year's contest had over 3,300 entries, with over 100 short-listed. Every writer gets six free entries to play with.

Deadline: 23rd Sep, 2022

Prize: $395

Ottawa Tourism offers an annual $500 CAD prize for outstanding travel writing featuring Canada’s Capital Region. Eligible entries include items in English or in French that have appeared in magazines, newspapers, or online media in 2022 that highlight Ottawa as a travel destination.

Deadline: 3rd Feb, 2023

Prize: £250

The theme is ‘connected’ and this can be interpreted however the writer chooses. The finalists will be judged by Call the Midwife stars Jenny Agutter and Stephen McGann. Entries cost £5 and all proceeds from the competition will help Ovacome to support anyone affected by ovarian cancer and raise awareness of the signs and symptoms.

The New Voices Award is given annually by children's book publisher Lee & Low Books for a children’s picture book manuscript by a writer of color or Indigenous/Native writer. Established in 2000, the New Voices Award encourages writers of color and Indigenous/Native writers to submit their work to a publisher that takes pride in nurturing new talent.

We are looking for an opening chapter up to 3,000 words, plus a one page synopsis outlining the balance of your story of any genre, so long as it's unpublished.

Prize: €1,000

The competition is open to new, emerging and established poets from any country. One of these winners will be the highest scoring manuscript entered by a poet with no solo collection (full-length or chapbook) previously published. Up to 25 other entrants will be publicly listed as "highly commended".

This is a bi-annual competition. We welcome stories on any theme. The maximum wordcount is 3,000.

The Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest encourages writers to unpublished short fiction related to Judaism or Jewish culture or history. Established in 2000, judges and special guests for this international annual contest have included Joyce Carol Oates, Robert Pinsky, Walter Mosley, Nicole Krauss, Erica Jong, Jonathan Safran Foer, Geraldine Brooks, Andre Aciman and Dara Horn.

Deadline: 15th Aug, 2022

Prize: $10,000 advance

Established in 1998, The X. J. Kennedy Prize highlights one full-length collection of poetry per year. Since 2019 the Prize comes with a $10,000 advance, a standard royalty contract, and 20 copies of the published book.

Prize: $1,500

We are seeking fiction and creative nonfiction of every genre. The contest is open to authors who have not been published by a major press. We publish in English, but the contest is open to writers from anywhere in the world. The early-bird entry fee (December 15th-February 15th) will be $25.

Deadline: 15th Jul, 2022

Prize: First look consideration by a top, NYC-based literary agency

Where talented authors meet publishing professionals with the power to make a difference in the success of their books. Every author who enters a title in the IR Discovery Awards will receive a verdict, written by an IndieReader reviewer and based on their assessment after reading the complete book.

Entry: $150

Summer is for Short Stories! The Masters Review’s Short Story Award for New Writers is a bi-annual contest that recognizes the best fiction from today’s emerging writers. The winner receives a $3,000 prize and agency review, and their story will be published online in late winter/early spring. Second and third place finalists will be awarded publication, agency review and $300/$200 prizes. Entries must be under 6,000 words.

Prize: $1,333

The Gabriele Rico Challenge for Nonfiction recognizes outstanding works of nonfiction. We are looking for creative nonfiction, such as personal essays or narratives, not scholarly papers or book reviews. All works should be stand-alone essays, not chapters of a longer work. Please limit prose submissions to 5,000 words.

Prize: £10,000

Inaugural Saudi Historical Novel Award. Entries must have historical Saudi themes or characters. Please read full guidelines.

Deadline: 1st Jul, 2022

The Omega Sci-Fi Awards are proud to accept entries for The Roswell Award international short science fiction story competition from writers age 16 and older. The Feminist Futures Award will be awarded to a distinct winner for an outstanding feminist sci-fi story.

Deadline: 21st Dec, 2022

We are looking for young, old, novice and veteran writers to send us stories that possess a powerful sense of place. Stories can be fiction, nonfiction, poetry or essay.

Deadline: 15th Dec, 2022

The Tales By Moonlight Contest is a novella writing competition. The genre for the competition is fiction and the theme is magic. Contest entries can range from 7,500 - 40,000 words in length. Winners will be decided by a public voting system.

Deadline: 15th Sep, 2022

Prize: $200 (CAD)

Contest entries should be flash fiction or short stories, with an absolute word limit of 1000 words. There is no required prompt or topic. Write whatever you'd like! We want to see you get creative!

The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognizes outstanding works that contribute to our understanding of racism and our appreciation of cultural diversity. Awards are given for fiction, poetry and nonfiction.

The goal of the Novella-in-Flash Award is to promote flash fiction for both writers and readers and to bring the genre to a wider audience. There is a 6000 to 18000 word limit and each flash (or chapter) should not be more than about 1000 words.

HAVOK is a constant flash fiction contest, with rolling deadlines. Each season is split into monthly competitions with thematically connected prompts in a range of genres.

Subscribe to Fanstory for $9.95 a month and enter as many contests as you like from their list of writing and poetry contests, updated daily. All participants receive feedback from a community of writers, and the winner of each contest receives a cash prize of up to $100.

Entry: $10 monthly subscription

Prize: £3,000

The Bath Children’s Novel Award is an annual international prize for emerging novelists writing for children or teens. Submissions are the first 5,000 words plus one page synopsis. A children’s literary agent will judge the winning manuscript from a shortlist chosen by Junior Judges aged seven to seventeen.

Prize: $1,000- $5,000

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.

Entry: $9.99 monthly subscription

Prize: $50 Amazon gift card

Voice.club has a strong commitment to writers and writing. Our monthly Flash Fiction writing contests are a wonderful opportunity for writers to practice their craft, share their stories and win prizes! Each entry must be 350 words or less, be family-friendly, and include some reference to the month's theme.

Oprelle's monthly poetry contest is for all of you out there who carry a scrappy notebook full of poems. Your soul is on that paper, and your words matter. Your poem, based on that month's theme, can be simple and uplifting, or complicated and metaphorical; any style works, if you follow the rules and write 14 or less lines. Oh, and make sure your poetry is 100% original. We will consider both published and unpublished poems.

Stories may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. Winner receives $1,000 and a bronze medallion. Finalists receive $100. Winner and finalists are published in both the online and annual print editions of The Lascaux Review.

Inkitt’s Writing Contests regularly give authors the opportunity to share their books with readers around the world and showcase their talents. Their monthly cash prizes give you the chance to win money and exclusive book badges for your writing! Each month one grand prize winner, and two runners up will be selected.

Prize: Gotham writers workshop

Each month we invite you to post a story on Twitter using #GWstorieseverywhere for a chance to win a free class. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag #GWstorieseverywhere.

Prize: $667

The 16th international English language competition is now open and accepting entries! This year we shall be offering the following prizes: 1st Prize - £500, 2nd Prize - £250, 3rd Prize - £100, plus 17 runners up prizes of being published on our website and in a future anthology. Our judge for 2022 will be John Evans.

Deadline: 31st, Mar, 2022

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. Sadie Tells Stories loves all things magic and wonder. And she loves not just the magic she can create but sharing the magic that others do as well. She can’t wait to read your stories!

Deadline: 31st Mar, 2022

Invisible City's Blurred Genres Flash Contest, judged by Lynn Steger Strong, is open for free submissions March 1 through 31. $500 to first place, $200 to second, $100 to third, and publication for the top five. Entries must be 750 words or less unpublished flash fiction, prose poetry, or something in between.

Submit up to three poems and a $10 entry fee. There are no restrictions on content or form: it 's all poetry. Poems should be previously unpublished. The winner and finalists will be published in Breakwater Review.

Deadline: 1st Apr, 2022

Winners of the Indiana Review short story contest receive a prize of $1,000 and publication in Indiana Review. Stories can be up to 6,000 words. All entries are considered for publication. Each $20 fee gets you a year-long subscription of the journal.

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest is an opportunity for new writers of science fiction and fantasy to have their work judged by some of the masters in the field and discovered by a wide audience. Prizes of $1000, $750 and $500 are awarded every three months. From the four 1st Place winners each year, one story is selected as the grand prize winner and the author receives an additional $5000 cash prize.

Pinch is a literary journal run by the MFA students at the University of Memphis. In their annual contest, two winners are selected from each category of fiction and poetry. Only unpublished entries are considered.

Prize: medallion

The purpose of the Published Maggie Award for Excellence is to recognize the achievements of Published authors of romantic fiction. The Maggie Award is a symbol of achievement given by the Georgia Romance Writers (GRW) to bring special attention to these authors. Opens February 14th, 2022.

Winners of the Indiana Review poetry contest receive a prize of $1,000 and publication in Indiana Review. You may submit up to three poems. All entries are considered for publication. Each $20 fee gets you a year-long subscription of the journal.

We are a small group of writers, editors, lecturers and of course readers who wish to actively support creative writing. We run quarterly competitions throughout the year with closing dates at the end of March, June, September and December. Our aim is to encourage as wide a range of writing as possible and competitions are open for any subject and any style.

The Caterpillar Poetry Prize is an annual prize for an unpublished poem written by an adult for children aged 7–11. This year’s judge is none other than Michael Morpurgo!

The Nelligan Prize for Short Fiction was established in 2004 in memory of Liza Nelligan, a writer, editor, and friend of many in Colorado State University 's English Department. The winner receives a $2,500 honorarium and the story is published in the fall/winter issue of Colorado Review. Stories must be 10-50 pages.

Deadline: 14th Mar, 2022

This poetry competition is open to everyone and international. We hope that you are inspired to display the beauty and art of poetry for the entire world to see your ‘gift of a dream’.

The Mission of Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest is to inspire, motivate, and encourage anyone having the desire or love of poetry and writing, to continue doing so without fear of failure or success! Remember, in whatever you do, “it’s okay to dream,” for dreams do come true…

Deadline : 15th Mar, 2022

Prize: £2,000

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.

Poems may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. Winner receives $1,000, a bronze medallion, and publication online in The Lascaux Review. The winner and all finalists will be published in the annual print journal.

Now in its 21st year, this contest seeks today's best humor poems. No fee to enter. Submit published or unpublished work. $3,500 in prizes.

Prize: £200

Open to entries on any subject and in any format, we look forward to an array of poems from across the world! Poems must be no longer than 60 lines and entrants must be over 18. The first prize for the Poet of the Year is £200, second place receives £100 and third receives £50. All entries must be accompanied by a completed entry form. Poems are judged totally anonymously. .A longlist of around 35 poems is chosen from the entries and these are included in the annual Poet of the Year anthology – available to purchase from the Festival Office and online from October. From the longlist, a shortlist of around 15 poems are selected and the poets are invited to read them at the Awards Evening on October 6 where the winners will be announced. We are delighted that this year’s event will be held by Zoom, allowing poets from around the world to attend.

Deadline: 6th Mar, 2022

We’re looking for the best short memoir story of no more than 3,000 words. A short memoir is a piece of creative nonfiction in which the writer explores a single episode of their life or a small selection of vignettes, connected by a common theme.

Deadline: 17th May, 2022

Entry: £3/£5/£12

Prize: Publication in anthology

A brand new challenge is here! After the success of Mrs. Rosewood’s antics last year, here’s Mr. Rosewood waiting for you to write about any of his days into a story. He could be bright, gloomy, witty, loveable, or always ready to fight. It’s your character, create him! Then, tell us a story about a day in the life of your Mr. Rosewood and get published in our next publication.

Deadline: 15th Apr, 2022

Short on Words- the short story, poetry writing contest is calling on authors of all ages! The annual contest is celebrating its tenth anniversary- ninth edition and is currently receiving submissions from around the country with a new online submission tool - NEW this year. The competition is calling on aspiring authors of all ages to create unique prose about one of ten photographs taken by Dr. William Demray, founder of Preservation Dental in Northville. Preservation Dental is again sponsoring the competition, in conjunction with Northville’s annual Arts & Acts Festival.

Deadline: 22 Apr, 2022

We seek work that actively pushes boundaries, that forces us to question traditions and tastes. If your work takes risks, we want to read it. You may submit up to three entries for $12. A single entry is $10. Each poem can be up to three pages.

Deadline: 28th Apr, 2022

Prize: €2,000

The theme of this contest is "Time travel" - within the scope of physical travel. Readers have to vote for their favorite stories. The big winner will be elected by our jury among the authors of the 5 most-voted books of the contest. The first runner-up wins €750 and the second runner-up wins €250.

Deadline: 25th May, 2022

The Award is open to unrepresented and unpublished authors for a novel in any adult fiction genre. The winner and runners-up will receive an agent introduction and possibly a manuscript review.

Deadline: 29th May, 2022

Prize: $267

This competition was created with the aim of promoting scientific outreach in a fun and engaging way, appropriate for primary school children. The ultimate goal of the contest is to promote scientific spirit and inspire the generations that will build our future. We hope to achieve this through the communication of scientific achievements, findings, methods, and anecdotes in the form of short stories.

Deadline: 24th Apr, 2022

Submit 1-3 unpublished poems on any subject in any style up to a maximum of 10 pages per entry. (We enjoy long poems!)

Deadline: 30th Apr, 2022

Have you completed the first draft of your novel? Are you ready to pass it on to a fresh pair of eyes, to see if you are on the right track? Is your all-important first chapter ready for submission to an agent? Whatever your plans, your first chapter must shine – it must grab your readers or quickly lose their interest.

Deadline: 31st May, 2022

Short Story competition with a maximum word count of 2000 words.

Theme: Saints and/or Sinners

Stories must be in English or Welsh

Deadline: 30th May, 2022

Each entry must be original work and previously unpublished. Simultaneous submissions will be accepted, but authors must notify Flying South immediately and withdraw from the contest if their work is accepted elsewhere. Prizes include publication in Flying South 2022, Best in Category, and President's Favourite.

Fiction Factory welcomes submissions to its first ever poetry competition, judged by novelist and poet: Helen Cox. Five shortlisted poets will receive a supportive critique on their poem. One winner from that shortlist will receive £100 cash prize, receive feedback on five poems they have written and benefit from an hour-long mentorship Zoom call about their poetry with the judge.

In the spirit of the journal 's founding mission, the Ploughshares Emerging Writer's Contest recognizes work by an emerging writer in each of three genres: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. One winner in each genre per year will receive $2,000 and publication in the literary journal. Authors are considered "emerging" if they haven 't published or self-published a book.

Deadline: 15th May, 2022

Write an original, factual, first-person travel story about a time you made a decision or took a risk while traveling that got you lost, landed you somewhere you didn’t intend, or led to a new discovery, realization, or connection. Editors will be looking for originality, voice, and a satisfying story that captures attention and makes use of imagery to pull the reader along at every step.

We seek work that actively pushes boundaries, that forces us to question traditions and tastes. If your work takes risks, we want to read it. We like strong narratives that make us feel something and stories we haven’t seen before. Each entry should be between 1,001 and 7,500 words.

The Loraine Williams Poetry Prize is an award for a single poem, to be published in The Georgia Review. The winner will receive $1,500 and an expenses-paid trip to Athens, Georgia, to give a public reading with the judge. Submissions must be sent either online or by mail from March 1 through May 1. All submitted poems will be considered for publication in The Georgia Review; any selected will be paid $4 per line.

Deadline: 1st May, 2022

Any traditionally or self-published author with an original copyright date of 2021! Entry must have a minimum length of 40,000 words. Categories: Category Romance (includes all novels intended for series lines); Contemporary Single Title Romance; Historical Romance; Romantic Suspense; Paranormal Romance; Erotic Romance; Young Adult Romance/New Adult Romance; Inspirational Romance. Eligibility: Open to any traditional/self- published author with an original copyright date of 2021. All books must be perfect bound. Multiple entries allowed in same or different category (separate fees apply); however, the same entry may not be entered in more than one category. Contest will have no more than five finalists from all categories. First round will be judged by readers. Final judging will be judged by a bookseller.

Deadline: 23rd May, 2022

We are looking for high quality, 50-page double submissions + 1 page synopsis of memoir and fiction. Finalists will be asked for complete manuscripts 1 month later and will be judged by author Jacqueline Gay Walley.

Deadline: 15th Jun, 2022

In addition to winning cash prizes, entrants have the opportunity to appear in our print and digital anthology collections. Our books are published by the award-winning small press Ad Hoc Fiction, and are available to buy from their own independent bookshop as well as worldwide from Amazon. 300 word limit.

Deadline: 5th Jun, 2022

Prize: $3000 USD + $0.10/word for publication

We help new talent go pro, award life-changing prize money, and promote fiction writers worldwide. Each month we hold a contest based on a short fiction prompt. You write a wonderful story and enter the contest. We choose the winner who receives the grand prize. We also choose the best stories, pay the authors above-professional rates, and publish them in our magazine. Anyone can submit work to the magazine for free, but you must be an Elegant+ Member to enter the contests and win prizes. Membership is $10/month.

Entry: $10 a month

Seeking short fiction of any genre between 250 - 750 words. The mission of this contest is to inspire creativity, communication, and well-rewarded recognition to contestants.

Deadline: 22nd May, 2022

The University of Pittsburgh Press announces the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize for a first full-length book of poems. Named after the first director of the Press, the prize carries a cash award of $5,000 and publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press in the Pitt Poetry Series under its standard royalty contract. The winner will be announced in the fall; no information about the winner will be released before the fall announcement. The Starrett Prize is our only venue for first-book poetry manuscripts.

Organised by Wasafiri, a quarterly British literary magazine. The prize is judged in three categories: Fiction, Poetry, and Life Writing. Fee is per entry: £10 for a single entry, £16  for a double entry. No entry may exceed 3,000 words. This year, the Prize will be chaired by Marina Salandy-Brown, who will be joined by a panel of multi-award-winning judges: Mary Jean Chan (judging Poetry), Preti Taneja (judging Fiction), and Francesca Wade (judging Life Writing). The winners of each category will receive a £1,000 cash prize and will be published in  Wasafiri’s print magazine. Shortlisted writers will have their work published on Wasafiri’s website.

Prize: $8,000

One grand prize winner will receive $5,000, a marketing analysis and one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a $300 credit at BookBaby, and 3 free ads in the Winning Writers newsletter (a $525 value). Please submit between February 15 and June 30, 2022.

The Olive Woolley Burt Awards are open to the general public for previously unpublished work. Discounts for entry given to members of the League of Utah Writers.

Deadline: 13th May, 2022

Submit a story of no more than 200 words. Your submission must be in line with the theme of the month. A writer is only permitted to submit one application per month. No more than one application. No plagiarism, even if it’s your work already published. Your work must be yours. Your data entered must be accurate. You must pay the entry fee. Note: Failure to comply with these rules will result to your application cancelled. And your entry fee will not be refunded. Thanks as you obey these rules.

The 42 Miles Press Poetry Award was created in an effort to bring fresh and original voices to the poetry reading public. Manuscripts submitted should exhibit an awareness of the contemporary voice in American poetry.

Prize: €3,000

The Moth Short Story Prize is an international prize, open to anyone from anywhere in the world, as long as their story is original and previously unpublished. The Prize will be judged this year by Ali Smith, the author of many works of fiction, including five collections of short stories and, most recently, the seasonal quartet, Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer. Her work has won many awards.

WOW! is proud to introduce our newest essay contest! The contest is open globally. Your story must be true, but the way you tell it is your chance to get creative. We are open to all styles of essay—from personal essay to lyric essay to hybrid essay, and beyond!

Prize: $6,000 AUD

The Jolley Prize is open to all short story writers writing in English. We seek original short stories of between 2,000 and 5,000 words.

Deadline: 2nd May, 2022

This prize is offered annually to a poet who has not previously published a full-length collection of poems. The prize awards the winner with $2,500 and publication of their first full-length book of poetry by the Kent State University Press. The winner and the competition's judge will give a reading together on the Kent State campus.

The Irene Adler Prize offers a $1,000 US scholarship to a woman pursuing a degree in journalism, creative writing, or literature at a recognized post-secondary institution in the U.S. or Canada, based on an essay competition.

100 words per entry. Submit as many entries as you’d like. All ages. All genders. All nationalities. All writers welcome. This year's theme is the power of words. The words we write, the words we say, the words we keep to ourselves. They make a difference in the lives of those around us. How can you use your words to instil a sense of calm, of hope, of community? To remind one another of the beauty of diversity. To encourage us to support, love, and inspire one another.

Prize: Silver Medallion

The purpose of the Prepublished Maggie Award for Excellence is to encourage, recognize, and reward the mastery of romance writing by Prepublished authors of romantic fiction. The Maggie Award is a symbol of achievement given by the Georgia Romance Writers (GRW) to bring special attention to these writers. Opens February 14th.

Calling all poets! We’re on the look out for poems of all styles–rhyming, free verse, haiku, and more for the Annual Writer’s Digest Poetry Awards! This is the only Writer’s Digest competition exclusively for poets. Enter any poem 32 lines or less for your chance to win $1,000 in cash.

Deadline: 6th Jun, 2022

Whether you’re a professional writer, a part-time freelancer or a self-starting student, here’s your chance to enter the premier self-published competition exclusively for self-published books. This self-published competition spotlights today’s self-published works and honors self-published authors.

Entry: $125

Prize: £10,000 royalty advance and publishing contract

Deadline: 1st Jun, 2022

The Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award is committed to discovering new writers, as well as superlative books by established authors and, upon discovery, sharing those writers and their works with new readers. There are a large number of both fiction and non-fiction categories you can enter.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Marsh Hawk Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Manuscripts should be between 48 to 84 pages.

Welcome to the Bristol Short Story Prize – an annual international writing competition open to all published and unpublished, UK and non-UK based writers. Stories can be on any theme or subject and are welcome in any style including graphic, verse or genre-based

Deadline: 4th May, 2022

Deadline: 6th May, 2022

The Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Awardé is committed to discovering new writers, as well as superlative books by established authors and, upon discovery, sharing those writers and their works with new readers. There are a large number of both fiction and non-fiction categories you can enter.

The Trio Award for First or Second Book includes $1,000, publication, and twenty books. The Trio Award for First or Second Book is only open to poets with fewer than two books published.

Stories Through The Ages - Baby Boomers Plus is open to people born 1966 or earlier. There is no prompt for the contest Authors may write about any topic. The entry fee is $25 ($20 if submitting more than one story). The word count for this contest is 900 - 4000 words. Cash prizes of $500, $200 and $100 will be awarded. There will be a minimum of 15 finalists whose story will appear in the book.

Prize: $4,000

The Narrative Prize is awarded annually for the best short story, novel excerpt, poem, one-act play, graphic story, or work of literary nonfiction published by a new or emerging writer in Narrative. The submission system is open all year.

A prize of $1,000, publication of the chapbook in The Tusculum Review’s 2022 issue, and creation of a limited edition stand-alone chapbook is awarded for the winning collection of poems.

This award honors the achievements of the great Dominican-American poet, translator, and public school teacher Rhina Polonia Espaillat. The Rhina Espaillat Poetry Award will be awarded for an original poem of not more than fifty lines that reflects her lyricism, empathy, and ability to find grace in everyday events of life.

Deadline: 30th Mar, 2022

Prize: $600

There’s something inherently exciting about setting sail on worldwide adventures. Throw in lost treasure, a trusty sidekick and an old fashioned and undependable form of transportation, and you have yourself a solid quest. We’re looking for your very best action and adventure stories centring on treasure hunts, survival, mystery and exploration. Call us nostalgic but we miss Indiana Jones and can only re-watch Goonies so many times before it gets weird. We can’t wait to read your swashbuckling short stories of up to 3,000 words. Bonus points for Nicholas Cage as your protagonist (we’re kidding…kind of).

The New Deal Writing Competition is a short story competition where the writer is asked to use a painting chosen by the staff of GVCA as inspiration for their short story. The application portal for submissions will be open from March 1, 2021 to April 1, 2021.

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Writing Contests: Why They’re Worth it, and 10 Places to Start

Posted on Mar 10, 2023

by Gloria Russell

Writing contests are events where writers submit their work for review, usually in the hopes of winning a prize. There are lots of different kinds of contests depending on what sort of work you do–some are specific to short stories, for example, or some might only want flash fiction written by or about a certain demographic or theme.

There are writing contests for essays, film scripts, TV pilots, novels, novellas, short stories, poems, and more–there’s almost definitely a writing contest for whatever you want to submit.

Are Writing Contests Worth It?

For some writers, the thought of entering a writing contest is terrifying. Where do I enter? What are the stakes? Isn’t it terrifying to have people judge my work?

But there’s no need to be afraid! Writing contests are actually pretty laid-back when it comes down to it, and they’re an awesome way to get your work out there. To break down why you should start trying your hand at writing contests, I’ve got 3 P’s for you to keep in mind: publication, prizes, and practice.

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Publication

The specifics of the prize will vary depending on the contest, but most of these contests offer publication if you win. If you’re a novelist, you might think there’s no point worrying about short story or flash fiction contests, but that’s not necessarily true!

Think of it like this: if you win the contest, you’ll have some of your work published in a magazine. This means people will see your work! This is your time to make a name for yourself. Get readers interested to follow your journey! Then, when it’s time to publish your novel, you’re already established in the community.

Prize Money

Let’s be honest–a little extra cash never hurts. Again, check the details of the contest you’re entering, but a lot of the time, you get some prize money for winning. These prizes can be small, but some of them are upwards of a thousand dollars. Self-publishing can be expensive, and a writing contest is a great way to grab some money and save up.

Practice

Keeping up with writing contests means you have to keep up with your writing. It means you’ll need to produce something you feel is good enough to win you a prize, and that guarantees you’ll be practicing your craft.

Besides practicing your writing, though, you’ll also be getting some practice in other adjacent skills. Maybe you’ll need to write a bio or write an application letter–these are skills that we need to have in this field, but that we often don’t practice when we’re just drafting at home.

Plus, it makes us a little tougher. Having people read your work can be really scary, and entering writing contests will make you less and less worried about it. You’ll get used to the process of submitting, the process of waiting and waiting for results, and you’ll learn how to deal with rejection. These are all vital skills for writers!

What to Watch For

Now, that isn’t to say that writing contests are, without exception, worth entering. So how can you tell which writing contests are for you, and which you should stay away from? Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re submitting to any writing contest. Note that these don’t necessarily mean that a writing contest is bad or not worth your time–these are just some things to watch for.

Admission Fee

When you’re submitting for publication in a literary magazine, you generally want to avoid paying a reading fee. Sometimes smaller publications need them because they’re still getting off the ground, but for the most part, you shouldn’t be paying thirty-five dollar reading fees to get your story published.

In a writing contest, it’s a little more common to see a reading fee. The money is pooled toward the prize money and pays staff to judge the contest. In contests with a bigger money prize, the reading fee will often be a little higher.

However, you shouldn’t be breaking your bank with these reading fees. There are a ton of writing contests you can enter for free . There’s no real benefit to paying to enter a writing contest unless, for some reason, you really love that specific contest or publication.

First Publishing Rights

Some writers worry about the rights to their work. If they win a prize, does that publication own their story now? If they’ve submitted it, does that mean the magazine owns it forever?

Some magazines ask for work that’s never been published, and others won’t care. It’s the same as when you’re submitting for publication outside of a contest. If you want to be super sure about the rights to your work, check out my final and most important tip:

Read The Rules!

Rules for writing contests are going to vary widely by contest. Read the submission guidelines and get all up in that fine print to make extra sure you understand before you submit!

If you have a story that’s been published somewhere else, but this contest demands unpublished work? You can be disqualified or even blacklisted from that magazine. Also, don’t submit a prose poem to a flash fiction contest. Sending off a horror story when the contest specifically asks for coming-of-age pieces would also be a no-no.

Everything you need to know will be available in the contest rules for wherever you’re entering. Know what sort of formatting they look for, whether there’s a word count , what the genre is, and so on. Check this information out ahead of time and save yourself a ton of headache. Don’t get rejected because you forgot to double-space your work on your submission, when ‘double-spaced’ was the format required.

Writing Contests For You to Enter!

I’ve got a master list of writing contests for you to enter here, and I’ve divided it up by category: first, we’ll cover writing contests that are totally free, and then we’ll take a look at some with a submission fee.

Free-to-Enter Contests

Young lions fiction award .

“Established in 2001, The New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award is a $10,000 prize awarded each year to a writer age 35 or younger for a novel or a collection of short stories. Each year, five young fiction writers are selected as finalists by a reading committee of Young Lions members, writers, editors, and librarians. A panel of judges selects the winner.”

Category: Young writers who have written a short story collection or novel.

53 Word Story Contest

“It’s free, it’s fun, and the winner gets published in Prime Number Magazine and receives a free book from Press 53.”

Category: Anyone! This will be judged based on answers to a prompt.

W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction

“This award honors the best fiction set in a period when the United States was at war. It recognizes the service of American veterans and military personnel and encourages the writing and publishing of outstanding war-related fiction. Donated by William Young Boyd II.”

Category: Young adult or adult novels (check website for more specific guidelines)

The Gabo Prize

“Lunch Ticket is honored to host The Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multilingual Texts. The Gabo Prize is funded by writers, translators, and Antioch University Los Angeles MFA Alumni Allie Marini and Jennifer McCharen, who launched the prize to support the work of peer translators.”

Willie Morris Awards for Southern Poetry & Fiction

“The Willie Morris Awards for Southern Writing are named for the late author, Willie Morris, in the spirit of his words, “hope for belonging, for belief in a people’s better nature, for steadfastness against all that is hollow or crass or rootless or destructive.” The selected book and poem may contain violence and despair, and feature terrible events, but in the final analysis must be uplifting, and suggest hope and optimism.”

Category: According to the site, authors should read previous issues to determine whether their work is a fit for this publication. No guidelines are listed regarding demographic, age, or previous experience.

Pen/Heim Translation Fund Grants

“Over the 16 years of its existence, the Fund has given grants of $2,000–$4,000 to nearly 200 translations from over 35 languages, including Armenian, Basque, Estonian, Farsi, Finland-Swedish, Lithuanian and Mongolian, as well as French, Spanish, German, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic.”

Category: emerging translators and works by marginalized writers

Writing Contest w/Admission Fee

Newfound prose prize .

“The Newfound Prose Prize is awarded annually to a chapbook-length work of exceptional fiction or creative nonfiction. The work may be in the form of a long story or essay or a collection of short pieces (60 pages max). Other than the page limit, the only formal requirement is that some aspect of the work must inform or explore how place shapes identity, imagination, and understanding.”

Category: fiction and creative nonfiction

Bumblebee Flash Fiction Contest

“Is your shortest fiction soft and appealing with a hidden sting? Send us your short, sweet, and sassy fiction for a chance to win $300 and publication in Pulp Literature. Get an editorial critique for only $20 more. Judged by flash fiction master Bob Thurber, winner of numerous awards and author of the novel Paperboy.”

Category: flash fiction

Nelligan Prize for Short Fiction

“$2,500 will be awarded for the best short story, which will be published in the fall/winter issue [insert year] of Colorado Review.”

Category: previously unpublished short stories

F(r)iction Contests

“We seek work that actively pushes boundaries, that forces us to question traditions and tastes. If your work takes risks, we want to read it. We like strong narratives that make us feel something and stories we haven’t seen before.”

Category: short stories, flash fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction

Need some help getting started?

Grab our Fiction Writing Prompts to get your story on track for the next contest! Not writing fiction ? Not to worry. These prompts can still inspire you. 🙂 Take a peek!

Gloria Russell

We help you save time, money, and headaches through the book, writing, marketing, and publishing process by giving you the proven, step-by-step process and accountability to publish successfully. All while allowing you to maintain control of your book–and its royalties. Learn to publish a book to grow your impact, income, or business!

IMAGES

Writing Competition
How to Win a Writing Competition
Entering Writing Competitions
How To Win A Writing Competition?
How to Get a Short Story Published
Creative Writing Competition » The English Council Pte. Ltd

VIDEO

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