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Writing Contests, Grants & Awards

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

Sponsor and Award	Entry Fee	Genre	Cash Prize	Prize includes	Application Deadline
Creative Capital Artist Grants Grants of up to $50,000 are offered triennially to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. Writers also receive advisory and development services from Creative Capital. United States...	$0	Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$50,000		3/1/12
Carolina Wren Press Doris Bakwin Award A prize of $1,000 and publication by Carolina Wren Press is given biennially for a short story collection, a novel, or a memoir by a woman. Submit a printed copy of the first 50 to 60 pages of a...	$20	Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$1,000	Publication	3/15/12
Chariton Review Short Fiction Prize A prize of $1,000 and publication in Chariton Review is given annually for a short story. Submit a story of up to 5,000 words with a $20 entry fee, which includes a copy of the prize issue, by...	$20	Fiction	$1,000	Publication	9/30/12
Cutthroat Poetry and Fiction Awards Two awards of $1,250 each and publication in Cutthroat are given annually for a group of poems and a short story. Linda Gregerson will judge the Joy Harjo Poetry Award, and Charles Baxter will...	$17	Poetry, Fiction	$1,250	Publication	10/10/12
Chautauqua Poetry Prize A prize of $1,000 and publication in Chautauqua is given annually for a poem or group of poems, a short story, or an essay on a theme. This year’s contest is open to poets, and the theme is “...	$20	Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$1,000	Publication	11/1/12
Commonwealth Club of California California Book Awards Three prizes are given annually to California writers for books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction (including creative nonfiction). Prizes are also given for a first book of fiction and a book of fiction...	$0	Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction			12/14/12
Civil War Institute Michael Shaara Book Prize A prize of $5,000 is given annually for a novel about the Civil War published in the current year to “encourage fresh approaches to Civil War fiction.” Publishers, critics, and authors may submit four...	$0	Fiction	$5,000		12/31/12
Cleveland Foundation Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards Two prizes of $10,000 each are given annually for books of poetry, fiction, or nonfiction (including creative nonfiction) published in the previous year that “contribute to society’s understanding of...	$0	Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$10,000		12/31/12
Chautauqua Institution Chautauqua Prize A prize of $7,500 is given annually for a book of fiction or creative nonfiction published in the previous year. The winner will also receive a weeklong, all-expenses-paid summer residency at the...	$60	Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$7,500	Residency	12/31/12
Chattahoochee Review Lamar York Prizes A prize of $1,000 and publication in the Chattahoochee Review is given annually for an essay. Beginning this year, an additional prize of $1,000 will be given annually for a short story. Submit...	$15	Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$1,000	Publication	1/31/13
Crazyhorse Literary Prizes Three prizes of $2,000 each and publication in Crazyhorse are given annually for a poem, a short story, and an essay. Using the online submission system, submit up to three poems or a story or...	$20	Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$2,000	Publication	1/31/13
Converse College Julia Peterkin Award A prize of $1,000 and an invitation to read in Converse College's Visiting Writers Series is given in alternating years for a group of poems or a work of fiction. The 2013 award will be given for fiction...	$15	Poetry, Fiction	$1,000	Reading	2/15/13
Colorado Review Nelligan Prize A prize of $2,000 and publication in Colorado Review is given annually for a short story. All entries are considered for publication. Jim Shepard will judge. Friends and current and former...	$15	Fiction	$2,000	Publication	3/14/13
Center for Fiction Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize A prize of $10,000 is given annually for a first novel published in the United States during the current year. Finalists receive $1,000 each. Publishers may submit eight copies of a novel published in 2013...	$50	Fiction	$10,000		3/15/13
CutBank Chapbook Contest A prize of $1,000, publication by CutBank, and 25 author copies is given annually for a chapbook of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. The editors will judge. Submit a manuscript of 25 to...	$20	Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$1,000	Publication	3/31/13

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