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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
Pulitzer Prizes Prizes in Letters Three prizes of $10,000 each are given annually to U.S. writers to honor books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction (including creative nonfiction) published in the United States during the current year....	$50	Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$10,000		6/15/13
PEN American Center PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction A prize of $10,000 is given biennially for a distinguished book of general nonfiction possessing notable literary merit and critical perspective. Submit three copies of a book published in 2011 or 2012...	$50	Creative Nonfiction	$10,000		2/1/13
PEN American Center PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay A prize of $10,000 is given annually for an essay collection published in the United States during the previous year. Writers must be permanent U.S. residents or American citizens. Submit three copies of...	$50	Creative Nonfiction	$10,000		2/1/13
PEN Northwest Margery Davis Boyden Wilderness Writing Residency A seven-month residency, which includes a $5,000 honorarium, is given biennially to a poet, a fiction writer, or a creative nonfiction writer to live and work at the Dutch Henry Homestead near the Rogue...	$20	Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$5,000	Residency	3/1/12
PEN American Center PEN Open Book Award A prize of $5,000 is given annually for a book-length work of fiction or creative nonfiction by a writer of color published in the United States during the previous year. Authors may be of any...	$50	Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$5,000		2/1/13
PEN American Center PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grants Grants of $2,000 to $4,000 each are given annually to support the translation of book-length works of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction that have not previously appeared in English or have...	$0	Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$4,000		2/1/13
PEN American Center PEN Translation Prize A prize of $3,000 is given annually for a book-length prose translation from any language into English. Publishers, agents, and translators may submit three copies of a book published in 2012 with a $50...	$50	Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$3,000		2/1/13
Publishing Triangle Triangle Awards A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a first book of fiction by an LGBT author published in the United States or Canada during the current year. Two prizes of $1,000 each are also given for books of...	$35	Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$1,000		12/6/12
PEN Center USA Literary Awards Prizes of $1,000 each are given annually for books of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and translation published in 2012 by authors residing west of the Mississippi River. The winner will also...	$35	Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$1,000		12/31/12
Potomac Review Annual Contest A prize of $1,000 and publication in Potomac Review is given biennially for a poem. The award rotates annually between poetry and fiction. All entries are considered for publication. Using the...	$20	Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$1,000	Publication	2/1/12
PEN Center USA Emerging Voices Fellowships Fellowships of $1,000 each are given annually to emerging poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers from underrepresented communities, who lack access to financial and creative support....	$10	Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$1,000	Reading	8/15/12
Pushcart Press Editors’ Book Award A prize of $1,000 is given occasionally for a fiction or creative nonfiction manuscript that has been submitted to but not accepted by a commercial publisher. The award recognizes “worthy manuscripts...	$0	Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$1,000		11/15/12
Passages North Thomas J. Hruska Memorial Nonfiction Prize A prize of $1,000 is given biennially for an essay. Elena Passarello will judge. Submit an essay of up to 7,500 words with a $15 entry fee by March 22. Visit the website for complete guidelines. ...	$15	Creative Nonfiction	$1,000		3/22/13
Ploughshares Emerging Writer’s Contest Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Ploughshares are given annually for a poem or group of poems, a short story, and an essay. Writers who have not published a book or chapbook are...	$24	Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction	$1,000	Publication	4/2/13
Pushcart Press Pushcart Prizes Publication in The Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses is awarded annually for poetry, fiction, and essays published by literary magazines or small presses in the current year. Editors may...	$0	Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction		Publication	12/1/12

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