Poets & Writers Blogs

Submissions Open for the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival Story Contest

The 2022 Short Fiction Story Contest, sponsored by the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival (BCLF), is currently accepting submissions. The contest awards two prizes: the BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writers Prize, which is open to unpublished U.S. and Canadian fiction writers of Caribbean heritage, and the BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Award for Writers in the Caribbean, which honors “Caribbean writers of all levels who reside and work in the Caribbean.” The winner of each award will receive $1,750, as well publication in the New York Carib News and a selection of titles from Akashic Books. Winners will be also be profiled on the BCLF website.

Using the online submission system, submit a short story of up to 3,000 words by July 1. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Established in 2019, the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival celebrates “culture as expressed through the pen of the storyteller and the voice of the poet” and aims to “facilitate vibrant conversations about Caribbean identity.” This year’s festival will take place from September 9 to September 11 at an outdoor location in Brooklyn, New York City. Visit the festival’s website for additional details as the event approaches.

Upcoming Contest Deadlines

Memorial Day weekend is upon us! Spend part of the holiday applying to contests with deadlines of June 13, 15, and 16. Four prizes are available for recent books of poetry, fiction, or nonfiction—including the Pulitzer Prize, which comes with a $15,000 award, and the Bard Fiction Prize, which offers $30,000 and a writer-in-residence appointment. There are several publication prizes for poetry or fiction manuscripts, along with a fellowship for a Maine writer. All contests offer a cash prize of $1,000 or more, and three do not require an entry fee. May the force be with you, writers!

42 Miles Poetry Award: A prize of $1,000, publication by 42 Miles Press, and 50 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. David Dodd Lee will judge. Deadline: June 15. Entry fee: $25.

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 U.S. writer under the age of 40 for a published a book of fiction. Deadline: June 15. Entry fee: None.

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. Deadline: June 15. Entry fee: $28.

Maine Arts Commission Maine Artist Fellowship: A fellowship of up to $5,000 is given annually to a poet, a fiction writer, a creative nonfiction writer, or a writer working in a genre beyond these categories who has lived in the state of Maine for at least one year. The fellow is expected to reside in the state for the year of the fellowship. Deadline: June 16. Entry fee: None.

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. Weike Wang will judge. Deadline: June 15. Entry fee: $25.

Pulitzer Prizes: Five prizes of $15,000 each are given annually for books of poetry, fiction, general nonfiction, U.S. history, and biography or autobiography (including memoir) first published in the United States during the current year. Deadline (for books published between January 1 and June 14): June 15. Entry fee: $75.

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. Books published within the past three years or scheduled for publication in 2022 are eligible. Deadline: June 15. Entry fee: None.

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 to give a reading and teach a master class at Western Connecticut State University’s low-residency MFA program. Deadline: June 13. Entry fee: $25.

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. Adrian Matejka will judge. Deadline: June 15. Entry fee: $25.

Visit the contest websites for complete guidelines, and check out the Grants & Awards database and Submission Calendar for more contests in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

Deadline Nears for Boulevard Emerging Poets Contest

Boulevard is now accepting submissions for its annual Emerging Poets Contest. Designed to honor a poet who has not yet published a collection with a nationally-distributed press, the contest awards a cash prize of $1,000 and publication in Boulevard. The magazine’s editors will judge.

Submit three poems of any length with a $16 fee, which includes a one-year subscription to Boulevard, by June 1. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Last year’s Emerging Poets Contest was judged by Ryan Smith, who selected winner Jennifer Conlon. Previous contest winners have included poets Alex Chernow, Elizabeth Hoover, and Tomás Q. Morín. Based in Saint Louis, Boulevard is a biannual literary magazine—available in print and online—that publishes contemporary fiction, poetry, essays, and interviews. Boulevard’s first issue, released in 1986, featured fiction by Nobel laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer, poetry by Kenneth Koch, and interviews with composers Philip Glass and Steve Reich. By its third issue in 1987, Boulevard had attained national bookstore distribution, which continues into the present.

 

Upcoming Contest Deadlines

Now that summer is on the horizon, bring in the warm weather by submitting to contests with deadlines of May 30 or May 31. Prizes abound for fiction writers with six awards being offered for short story collections or novels; additionally, nine fellowships of $5,000 each, plus other perks, are available for emerging fiction writers living in New York City. All contests offer a cash prize of $1,000 or more and two do not require an entry fee. Good luck, writers!

Anhinga Press Prize for Poetry: A prize of $2,000, publication by Anhinga Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Erika Meitner will judge. Deadline: May 31. Entry fee: $25 ($28 for electronic submissions).

Autumn House Press Literary Prizes: Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication by Autumn House Press are given annually for a poetry collection, a book of fiction, and a book of creative nonfiction. Each winner also receives a $1,500 travel and publicity grant. Carl Phillips will judge in poetry, Venita Blackburn will judge in fiction, and Lia Purpura will judge in nonfiction. All entries are considered for publication. Deadline: May 31. Entry fee: $30. 

BOA Editions Short Fiction Prize: A prize of $1,000 and publication by BOA Editions is given annually for a short story collection. Peter Conners will judge. Deadline: May 31. Entry fee: $25.

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 at the center are given annually to fiction writers living in New York City who have not yet published a book of fiction. Winners also have the opportunity to meet with editors and agents who represent new writers. Applicants who on June 1, 2022, will be enrolled in a degree-granting program or are currently under contract with a publisher for a work of fiction are ineligible. Deadline: May 30. Entry fee: none.

Elixir Press Fiction Award: A prize of $2,000, publication by Elixir Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a short story collection or a novel. Anthony E. Varallo will judge. Deadline: May 31. Entry fee: $40.

Gival Press Novel Award: A prize of $3,000 and publication by Gival Press is given biennially for a novel. Deadline: May 30. Entry fee: $50.

Milkweed Editions Max Ritvo Poetry Prize: A prize of $10,000 and publication by Milkweed Editions is given annually for a debut poetry collection by a U.S. poet. Henri Cole will judge. Deadline: May 31. Entry fee: $25.

Southern Poetry Review Guy Owen Prize: A prize of $1,000 and publication in Southern Poetry Review is given annually for a single poem. Deadline: May 31. Entry fee: $20 (which includes a subscription to Southern Poetry Review).

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. Deadline: May 31. Entry fee: $30. 

Writer’s Center First Novel Prize: A prize of $3,000 is given annually for a first novel published in the previous calendar year. Deadline: May 31. Entry fee: none.

Visit the contest websites for complete guidelines, and check out the Grants & Awards database and Submission Calendar for more contests in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

Deadline Approaches for Gaudy Boy Poetry Book Prize

Submissions are still open for the annual Gaudy Boy Poetry Book Prize! Offered for an “original Anglophone” poetry collection by a writer of Asian heritage living anywhere in the world, this award includes an increased monetary prize of $1,500 and publication by Gaudy Boy in the United States and Singapore. Emerging and established poets are eligible to apply.

To submit, e-mail a manuscript of 70 to 120 pages written in English and a short cover letter with a $10 entry fee by May 15. Yeow Kai Chai will judge. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

An imprint of the New York City–based literary nonprofit Singapore Unbound, Gaudy Boy publishes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction “of extraordinary merit by Asian voices.”  The name Gaudy Boy comes from both a poem entitled “Gaudy Turnout” by Singaporean poet Arthur Yap and the Latin word gaudium, meaning “joy”; the press aims to “delight [their] readers with the various powers of art.” In August five finalists for their Poetry Book Prize will be announced and invited to participate in a September reading, where the winner will be announced. The prizewinning manuscript will be published in spring 2023. Previous winners include Lawrence Lacambra Ypil for The Experiment of the Tropics, Jenifer Sang Eun Park for Autobiography of Horse, and Paula Mendoza for Play for Time. An imprint of the New York City–based literary nonprofit Singapore Unbound, Gaudy Boy publishes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction “of extraordinary merit by Asian voices.”  The name Gaudy Boy comes from both a poem entitled “Gaudy Turnout” by Singaporean poet Arthur Yap and the Latin word gaudium, meaning “joy”; the press aims to “delight [their] readers with the various powers of art.” In August five finalists for their Poetry Book Prize will be announced and invited to participate in a September reading, where the winner will be announced. The prizewinning manuscript will be published in spring 2023. Previous winners include Lawrence Lacambra Ypil for The Experiment of the Tropics, Jenifer Sang Eun Park for Autobiography of Horse, and Paula Mendoza for Play for Time

Upcoming Contest Deadlines

Bring in the new month by applying to contests with a deadline of May 15! These awards include opportunities for poets of Asian heritage; women, transgender, and gender-nonconforming writers whose work advances social change; and novelists writing debut books set in the American South. Plus, don’t miss the chance to win a residency in Miami Beach, Florida, or Naples, New York. All contests offer a cash prize of $1,000 or more and two are free of cost to submit.

Academy of American Poets James Laughlin Award: A prize of $5,000 is given annually for a second book of poetry by a living poet to be published in the coming calendar year. The winner also receives an all-expenses paid weeklong residency at the Betsy Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. Copies of the winning book are distributed to members of the Academy of American Poets. Aracelis Girmay, Solmaz Sharif, and Mai Der Vang will judge. Entry fee: None.

Academy of American Poets Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize: A prize of $25,000 is given annually for a poetry collection by a living poet published in the United States during the previous year. The winner also receives an all-expenses paid 10-day residency at the Glen Hollow cottage in Naples, New York. Copies of the winning book are distributed to members of the Academy of American Poets. Entry fee: $75.

American Poetry Review Stanley Kunitz Memorial Prize: A prize of $1,000 and publication in American Poetry Review is given annually for a single poem by a poet under the age of 40. The editors will judge. Entry fee: $15 (which includes a copy of the prize issue).

Crook’s Corner Book Prize Foundation Book Prize: A prize of $5,000 is given annually for a debut novel set in the American South. The author may live anywhere, but eligible novels must be set primarily in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, or Washington, D.C. Self-published books are eligible, but books available only as e-books are not. Ben Fountain will judge. Entry fee: $35.

Gaudy Boy Poetry Book Prize: A prize of $1,500 and publication by Gaudy Boy, an imprint of the New York City–based literary nonprofit Singapore Unbound, is given annually for a poetry collection by an Asian writer. Yeow Kai Chai will judge. Entry fee: $10.

Leeway Foundation Transformation Awards: Awards of $15,000 each are given annually to women, transgender, or otherwise gender-nonconforming poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers in the Philadelphia area who have been creating art for social change for five or more years. Writers who have lived for at least two years in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia counties, who are at least 18 years of age, and who are not full-time students in a degree-granting arts program are eligible. Entry fee: None.

Lost Horse Press Idaho Prize for Poetry: A prize of $1,000, publication by Lost Horse Press, and 20 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection by a U.S. poet. Dzvinia Orlowsky will judge. Entry fee: $28.

McGill University Montreal International Poetry Prize: A prize of $20,000 Canadian (approximately $15,728) and publication in the 2022 Montreal Poetry Prize Anthology is given biennially for a poem. Lorna Goodison will judge and Cameron Awkward-Rich, Heather Christle, Nabina Das, Liz Howard, Joanne Limburg, Conor O’Callaghan, Tanure Ojaide, Michael Prior, Medrie Purdham, Mark Tredinnick, and Rhian Williams will serve as jurors. Entry fee: $25 Canadian (approximately $20).

Pittsburg State University Cow Creek Chapbook Prize: A prize of $1,000, publication by Pittsburg State University, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry chapbook. Chen Chen will judge. Entry fee: $15.  

Ploughshares Emerging Writer’s Contest: Three prizes of $2,000 each and publication in Ploughshares are given annually for a poem or group of poems, a short story, and an essay. Each winner also receives a consultation with the literary agency Aevitas Creative Management. Writers who have not published a book or a chapbook with a print run over 300 are eligible. Chen Chen will judge in poetry, Amelia Gray will judge in fiction, and Danielle Geller will judge in nonfiction. Entry fee: $24 (which includes a subscription to Ploughshares). 

Visit the contest websites for complete guidelines, and check out the Grants & Awards database and Submission Calendar for more contests in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

Submissions Open for Louise Meriwether First Book Prize

The Louise Meriwether First Book Prize, founded jointly by Feminist Press and TAYO Literary Magazine, is accepting fiction and narrative nonfiction submissions for their annual award for a first book by a woman of color or a nonbinary writer of color. The award celebrates work “in the tradition of Meriwether’s Daddy Was a Number Runner, one of the first contemporary American novels featuring a young Black girl as the protagonist.” The winner will receive $5,000 and publication with Feminist Press in spring 2024. The editors expect to offer close editorial guidance to the prize winner.

To submit, e-mail a prose manuscript of 30,000 to 80,000 words and a cover letter by May 8. Lupita Aquino, Bridgett M. Davis, Nancy Jooyoun Kim, Cassandra Lane, and Feminist Press executive director and publisher Margot Atwell will judge. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines

Established in 2016 to honor the legacy of Louise Meriwether—an author, essayist, journalist, and antiwar activist, and the first African American woman to work as a story editor in Hollywood—the prize is meant to further “telling much-needed stories that shift culture and act as a springboard for new writers joining the industry.” Finalists will be notified in October and the winner will be announced in March 2023. Previous winners are Cassandra Lane (We Are Bridges), Melissa Valentine (The Names of All the Flowers), Claudia D. Hernández (Knitting the Fog), and YZ Chin (Though I Get Home). Established in 2016 to honor the legacy of Louise Meriwether—an author, essayist, journalist, and antiwar activist, and the first African American woman to work as a story editor in Hollywood—the prize is meant to further “telling much-needed stories that shift culture and act as a springboard for new writers joining the industry.” Finalists will be notified in October and the winner will be announced in March 2023. Previous winners are Cassandra Lane (We Are Bridges), Melissa Valentine (The Names of All the Flowers), Claudia D. Hernández (Knitting the Fog), and YZ Chin (Though I Get Home). 

Upcoming Contest Deadlines

With the end of the month right around the corner, get a head start on submitting to contests with a deadline of April 30. These awards include opportunities for poets writing first or second books, or living in Inland Southern California, and for fiction writers interested in magical realism. All contests offer a cash prize of $1,000 or more with one including the extra perk of a weeklong stay in an Italian castle!

Beloit Poetry Journal Adrienne Rich Award for Poetry: A prize of $1,500 and publication in Beloit Poetry Journal is given annually for a single poem. Jane Hirshfield will judge. All entries are considered for publication. Entry fee: $15.

Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize: A prize of €1,500 (approximately $1,694) and a weeklong residency at the Civitella Ranieri Foundation’s castle in the Umbria region of Italy will be given annually for a work of short fiction. Natasha Brown, Anton Hur, Ottessa Moshfegh, and Joanna Walsh will judge. Entry fee: €20 (approximately $23).

Ghost Story Supernatural Fiction Award: A prize of $1,500 and publication on the Ghost Story website is given twice yearly for a short story with a supernatural or magical realism theme. The winning work will also be published in volume 3 of the anthology 21st Century Ghost Stories. The editors will judge. Entry fee: $20.

Inlandia Institute Hillary Gravendyk Prizes: Two prizes of $1,000 each, publication by the Inlandia Institute, and 20 author copies are given annually for a poetry collection by a U.S. resident and a poetry collection by a poet residing in Inland Southern California, including Riverside and San Bernardino counties and any non-coastal area of Southern California, from Death Valley to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Stacey Callies, Megan Gravendyk-Estrella, and Charles Legere will judge. All entries are considered for publication. Entry fee: $20. 

Oversound Chapbook Prize: A prize of $1,000, publication by Oversound, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry chapbook. Sawako Nakayasu will judge. Entry fee: $18 (which includes a subscription to Oversound).

Poetry International Prize: A prize of $1,000 and publication in Poetry International is given annually for a single poem. Kevin Prufer will judge. All entries are considered for publication. Entry fee: $15.  

Trio House Press Award for First or Second Book: A prize of $1,000, publication by Trio House Press, and 20 author copies is given annually for a first or second poetry collection. Steve Healey will judge. Entry fee: $25.

Tupelo Press Berkshire Prize: A prize of $3,000, publication by Tupelo Press, and 20 author copies is given annually for a first or second poetry collection. All entries are considered for publication. Entry fee: $30.

University of Pittsburgh Press Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize: A prize of $5,000 and publication by University of Pittsburgh Press is given annually for a debut poetry collection. Entry fee: $25.  

Winning Writers Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction and Essay Contest: Two prizes of $3,000 each, two-year gift certificates for membership to the literary database Duotrope, and publication on the Winning Writers website are given annually for a short story and an essay. Mina Manchester will judge. Unpublished and previously published works are eligible. Entry fee: $20. 

Visit the contest websites for complete guidelines, and check out the Grants & Awards database and Submission Calendar for more contests in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. 
 

Deadline Nears for New Ohio Review Literary Prizes 

Submissions are currently open through for the New Ohio Review Literary Prizes. Given annually by New Ohio Review, the three awards honor a poem or group of poems, a short story, and an essay. Kim Addonizio will judge in poetry, Madeline ffitch will judge in fiction, and Melissa Febos will judge in nonfiction. The winning writers will each receive $1,500 and publication in the journal. 

Submit a poem or group of poems of up to six pages or a story or essay of up to 20 pages with a $22 entry fee, which includes a subscription to New Ohio Review, by April 15. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

New Ohio Review is published twice yearly by the creative writing program of Ohio University and is based in Athens, Ohio. Previous contest winners include poet Emily Lee Luan, fiction writer Nicole VanderLinden, and nonfiction writer Tania De Rozario. 

Deadline Approaches for Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grants

The Whiting Foundation is accepting submissions for its annual Creative Nonfiction Grants. Given to writers “in the process of completing a book-length work of deeply researched and imaginatively composed nonfiction,” up to ten grantees will receive $40,000 each. The grant is meant to help sustain multiyear book projects that are mid-process and require a significant amount of focused research. Writers who have a project under contract with a publisher in the United States, the United Kingdom, or Canada are eligible to apply. 

Using only the online submission system, submit a completed application, which includes uploading a fully executed publishing contract, the original project proposal that led to the contract, a writing sample of up to 25,000 words from the nonfiction book-in-progress, a résumé, a statement about the funds and time will be spent, a list of all sources of funding received for the book to date, and a letter of support from the book’s editor or publisher, by April 25. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines

Through this grant the Whiting Foundation aims to support nonfiction books “written with an artful sensitivity to complexity and nuance,” with the belief that these works are essential “in shaping the way we understand the world.” The 2022 grantees will be announced in the fall. Recent creative nonfiction grantees include Rebecca Clarren, Ashley D. Farmer, Kevin González, Sangamithra Iyer, Albert Samaha, Brandon Shimoda, Walter Thompson-Hernández, and Salamishah Tillet. Through this grant the Whiting Foundation aims to support nonfiction books “written with an artful sensitivity to complexity and nuance,” with the belief that these works are essential “in shaping the way we understand the world.” The 2022 grantees will be announced in the fall. Recent creative nonfiction grantees include Rebecca Clarren, Ashley D. Farmer, Kevin González, Sangamithra Iyer, Albert Samaha, Brandon Shimoda, Walter Thompson-Hernández, and Salamishah Tillet. 

Upcoming Contest Deadlines

April’s first writing contest deadlines include several stellar book prizes for poets. Other opportunities include a writing fellowship for poets, a humor writing prize, and awards honoring short works of fiction and nonfiction. All of these contests have a deadline of April 1 and a cash prize of at least $1,000. Good luck!

Just Buffalo Literary Center Poetry Fellowship: A fellowship, which includes a stipend of $1,500 and a monthlong residency in Buffalo, will be given annually to a poet. The fellowship includes lodging at a private apartment for the month of August 2022 and an invitation to read at a Just Buffalo Literary Center event. Entry fee: $20.

Nimrod International Journal Literary Awards: Two prizes of $2,000 each and publication in Nimrod International Journal are given annually for a group of poems and a work of fiction. A runner-up in each category receives $1,000 and publication. The winners and runners-up will also participate in a virtual awards ceremony and conference in October. Entry fee: $20 entry fee (includes a subscription to Nimrod International Journal).

North American Review Terry Tempest Williams Creative Nonfiction Prize: A prize of $1,000 and publication in North American Review will be given annually for an essay. Lyric essays, memoir, personal essays, and literary journalism are eligible. Lacy M. Johnson will judge. Entry fee: $23.

Orison Books Prizes in Poetry and Fiction: Two prizes of $1,500 each and publication by Orison Books are given annually for a poetry collection and a book of fiction. Rajiv Mohabir will judge in poetry and Tania James will judge in fiction. 

Saturnalia Books Poetry Prize: A prize of $1,500, publication by Saturnalia Books, and 20 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Roberto Tejada will judge. All entries will also be considered for the Editors Prize, which awards $1,000 and publication. Entry fee: $30.

Southeast Missouri State University Press Cowles Poetry Book Prize: A prize of $2,000, publication by Southeast Missouri State University Press, and 30 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Entry fee: $25.

Winning Writers Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest: A prize of $2,000, a two-year gift certificate for membership to the literary database Duotrope, and publication on the Winning Writers website is given annually for a humorous poem. A second-place prize of $500 is also awarded. Jendi Reiter will judge. Unpublished and previously published works are eligible. Entry fee: None.

Visit the contest websites for complete guidelines, and check out the Grants & Awards database and Submission Calendar for more contests in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. 

Terry Tempest Williams Creative Nonfiction Prize Accepting Submissions

Submissions are open for the Terry Tempest Williams Creative Nonfiction Prize. Offered by North American Review to “recognize the finest essay writing,” the prize welcomes submissions across the spectrum of creative nonfiction subgenres. This includes personal essays and lyric essays, as well as work in modes such as nature writing, travel writing, and literary criticism, so long as the work has a “personal component.” The winning writer will receive $1,000. Lacy M. Johnson, whose most recent book is The Reckonings (Scribner, 2018), will judge.

Using only the online submission system, submit an essay of 500 to 8,500 words with a $23 entry fee by April 1. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

North American Review, the oldest literary magazine in the United States, was founded in Boston and is currently run by the University of Northern Iowa. Editors particularly invite submissions to the Terry Tempest Williams Prize that “push boundaries.” The 2021 winner of the contest was Kate McGunagle for “Passive Voice.”

 

Upcoming Contest Deadlines

Celebrate the arrival of spring by applying to contests with a deadline of March 31. With many of these awards being offered to writers in multiple genres, there are ample opportunities for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers alike. All contests offer a cash prize of $1,000 or more and two charge no entry fee. Dig in! 

A Public Space Writing Fellowships: Three six-month fellowships of $1,000 each are given annually to emerging fiction and nonfiction writers who have not published a full-length book. The fellows will work with the editors to prepare a piece for publication in A Public Space and will also have the opportunity to meet with publishing professionals and participate in a public reading. Entry fee: None.

Arts & Letters Prizes: Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Arts & Letters are given annually for a group of poems, a short story, and an essay. Allison Joseph will judge in poetry, Andrew Porter will judge in fiction, and Gayle Brandeis will judge in nonfiction. All entries are considered for publication. Entry fee: $20.

Black Lawrence Press Hudson Prize: A prize of $1,000, publication by Black Lawrence Press, and 10 author copies is given annually for a collection of poems or short stories. The editors will judge. Entry fee: $27.

Fish Publishing Poetry Prize: A prize of €1,000 (approximately $1,129) and publication in the Fish Publishing anthology is given annually for a single poem. The winner is also invited to read at the anthology launch event at the West Cork Literary Festival in July. Billy Collins will judge. All entries are considered for publication. Entry fee: €14 (approximately $16) for online entries or €16 (approximately $18) for postal entries.

Four Way Books Levis Prize in Poetry: A prize of $1,000 and publication by Four Way Books is given annually for a poetry collection. The winner will also be invited to participate in readings either virtually or in-person in New York City, as public health guidelines allow. Jericho Brown will judge. Entry fee: $30.

Indiana Review Poetry and Fiction Prizes: Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Indiana Review are given annually for a poem and a story. Entry fee: $20 (which includes a subscription to Indiana Review).

Narrative Winter Story Contest: A prize of $2,500 and publication in Narrative is given annually for a short story, a short short story, an essay, or an excerpt from a longer work of fiction or creative nonfiction. A second-place prize of $1,000 is also awarded. The editors will judge. All entries are considered for publication. Entry fee: $27.  

Press 53 Prime Number Magazine Awards: Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Prime Number Magazine are given annually for a poem and a short story. Faith Shearin will judge in poetry and Jubal Tiner will judge in fiction. Entry fee: $15. 

Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing: A prize of $10,000 and publication by Restless Books is given in alternating years for a debut book of fiction or nonfiction by a first-generation immigrant. The 2022 prize will be given in fiction. Writers who have not published a book of fiction in English are eligible. Entry fee: None. 

Trustees of the Robert Frost Farm Prize: A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a poem written in metrical verse. The winner also receives a scholarship to attend and give a reading at the Frost Farm Poetry Conference in Derry, New Hampshire, in June. Allison Joseph will judge. Entry fee: $6 per poem.

Visit the contest websites for complete guidelines, and check out the Grants & Awards database and Submission Calendar for more contests in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. 
 

Deadline Approaches for the NEA Creative Writing Fellowships

Submissions are open for the National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowships. Given in alternating years to prose writers and poets, in 2022 the NEA is accepting applications in poetry. Grantees will receive $25,000 each to “enable the recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement.” Writers who are citizens or permanent residents of the U.S., and who have published a poetry collection of at least 48 pages, or 20 or more individual poems or pages of poetry over the last seven years are eligible to apply.

Using only the online submission system, submit a completed application, which includes a brief project description, seven to ten pages of poetry, and a list of publications, by March 10. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Through this fellowship program the NEA “seeks to sustain and nurture a diverse range of creative writers at various stages of their careers and to continue to expand the portfolio of American art.” Applicants can expect to receive a notification on the final status of their applications by December, at the earliest. Fellowship recipients will start to receive financial support for their literary projects between January 1, 2023, and January 1, 2024, and may have this support extended for up to two years. Recent creative writing fellows include prose writers Steve Almond, Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello, Melissa Febos, Tope Folarin, Kelli Jo Ford, Shruti Swamy, and Laura van den Berg, and poets Threa Almontaser, Oliver Baez Bendorf, Kayleb Rae Candrilli, Leila Chatti, Oliver de la Paz, Diana Khoi Nguyen, and Valencia Robin. Through this fellowship program the NEA “seeks to sustain and nurture a diverse range of creative writers at various stages of their careers and to continue to expand the portfolio of American art.” Applicants can expect to receive a notification on the final status of their applications by December, at the earliest. Fellowship recipients will start to receive financial support for their literary projects between January 1, 2023, and January 1, 2024, and may have this support extended for up to two years. Recent creative writing fellows include prose writers Steve Almond, Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello, Melissa Febos, Tope Folarin, Kelli Jo Ford, Shruti Swamy, and Laura van den Berg, and poets Threa Almontaser, Oliver Baez Bendorf, Kayleb Rae Candrilli, Leila Chatti, Oliver de la Paz, Diana Khoi Nguyen, and Valencia Robin.

 

Upcoming Contest Deadlines

With a new month on the horizon, we’re looking ahead to contests with deadlines of March 14 or March 15. These awards offer opportunities for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers! The contests include awards that celebrate women writers over the age of 40 and Latinx poets; all offer cash prizes of $1,000 or more, with opportunities for a handful of lucky winners to receive $10,000.

Airlie Press Prize: A prize of $1,000 and publication by Airlie Press is given annually for a poetry collection. The editors will judge. Deadline: March 15. Entry fee: $25.

Bellingham Review Literary Awards: Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Bellingham Review are given annually for works of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The 49th Parallel Award for Poetry is given for a poem or group of poems. The Tobias Wolff Award for Fiction is given for a short story or a flash fiction piece. The Annie Dillard Award for Creative Nonfiction is given for an essay or a flash nonfiction piece. All entries are considered for publication. Deadline: March 15. Entry fee: $20.

Colorado Review Nelligan Prize for Short Fiction: A prize of $2,500 and publication in Colorado Review is given annually for a short story. Ramona Ausubel will judge. All entries are considered for publication. Deadline: March 14. Entry fee: $15 ($17 for online submissions).

Fourth Genre Steinberg Memorial Essay Prize: A prize of $1,000 and publication in Fourth Genre is given annually for an essay. Mary Cappello will judge. All entries are considered for publication. Deadline: March 15. Entry fee: $20.  

Hidden River Arts Eludia Award: A prize of $1,000 and publication by Sowilo Press is given annually for a first book of fiction by a woman writer over the age of 40. Deadline: March 15. Entry fee: $20.

James Jones Literary Society First Novel Fellowship: 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 each receive $1,000. Deadline: March 15. Entry fee: $33.

National Poetry Series Open Competition: Five prizes of $10,000 each and publication by participating trade, university, or small press publishers are given annually for poetry collections. The 2022 publishers are Beacon Press, Ecco, Milkweed Editions, Penguin Books, and University of Georgia Press. Deadline: March 15. Entry fee: $35.

Prairie Schooner Raz-Shumaker Book Prizes: Two prizes of $3,000 each and publication by University of Nebraska Press are given annually for a poetry collection and a short story collection. Kwame Dawes will judge. Deadline: March 15. Entry fee: $25.

Robinson Jeffers Tor House Foundation Poetry Prize: A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a single poem. Forrest Gander will judge. Deadline: March 15. Entry fee: $10.

University of Notre Dame Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize: A prize of $1,000 and publication by University of Notre Dame Press is given biennially for a debut poetry collection by a Latinx poet residing in the United States. Alexandra Lytton Regalado and Sheila Maldonado will judge. Deadline: March 15. Entry fee: None. 

Verse Tomaž Šalamun Prize: A prize of $1,000 and publication by Factory Hollow Press is given annually for a poetry chapbook. The winner will also receive a monthlong residency in summer 2023 in a private apartment at the Tomaž Šalamun Center for Poetry in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Prose poetry, hybrid works, and translations of works of poetry by living writers from any language into English are also eligible. Ilya Kaminsky will judge. Deadline: March 15. Entry fee: $17 ($13 for students).

The Word Works Washington Prize: A prize of $1,500 and publication by the Word Works is given annually to a U.S. or Canadian poet for a poetry collection. Deadline: March 15. Entry fee: $25.

Visit the contest websites for complete guidelines, and check out the Grants & Awards database and Submission Calendar for more contests in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.