A prize of $1,500, publication by New American Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Rick Barot will judge. Writers of any citizenship working...
read moreWriting 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.
Poetry Northwest
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 2/15/26
Genre: Poetry
Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Poetry Northwest are given annually for a single poem by an Indigenous poet. The winners also receive an all-expenses-paid...
read morePlentitudes
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 2/15/26
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Four prizes of $1,000 each and publication in the Plentitudes is given annually for a single poem, a short story, an essay, and a work of flash fiction or nonfiction....
read moreGay & Lesbian Review
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 2/15/26
Up to three grants of up to $5,000 each and publication of an article in the Gay & Lesbian Review will be given annually for projects with a primary focus...
read moreSarabande Books
Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $34
Application Deadline: 2/15/26
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $2,000 each and publication by Sarabande Books are given annually for a poetry collection, a work of fiction, and an essay collection. For the Kathryn A. Morton...
read moreAcademy of American Poets
Cash Prize: $25,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 2/15/26
Genre: Poetry, Translation
A fellowship of $25,000 is given biennially to support the translation into English of a work of modern Italian poetry. The winning translator will also receive a five-week...
read moreFurious Flower Poetry Center
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 2/15/26
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,500 and publication in Obsidian, the literary journal of Illinois State University, is given annually for a group of poems in conversation with the...
read moreAcademy of American Poets
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 2/15/26
Genre: Poetry, Translation
A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a poetry collection translated from any language into English and published in the United States during the previous year....
read moreFinishing Line Press
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 2/15/26
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,500 and publication by Finishing Line Press is given annually for a poetry chapbook. Leah Huete de Maines will judge. Submit a manuscript of 16 to 34 pages, a...
read moreWest Chester University
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 2/20/26
Genre: Poetry
Five prizes of $1,000 to $1,500 each are given annually for a single poem “composed in the traditional modes of meter, rhyme, and received forms” (Iris N. Spencer Poetry Award...
read moreAssociation of Writers & Writing Programs
Cash Prize: $5,500
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 2/28/26
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $5,500 each and publication by a participating press are given annually for a poetry collection, a short story collection, and a novel. A prize of $2,500 and...
read moreWesleyan University Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 2/28/26
Genre: Poetry
An award of $1,000 and publication by Wesleyan University Press will be given biennially for a poetry collection by a writer 40 years or older. The award will be given for a...
read moreTupelo Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 2/28/26
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000, publication by Tupelo Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry chapbook. Richie Hoffman will judge. Submit a manuscript of 20 to 36 pages...
read moreHayden’s Ferry Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 2/28/26
Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Hayden’s Ferry Review are given for a poem or a group of poems and a work of fiction. Sarah Ghazal Ali will judge in...
read moreBlack Caucus of the American Library Association
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 2/28/26
Two prizes of $2,500 each are given annually for a poetry e-book and a fiction e-book self-published by an African American writer during the previous year. The awards honor...
read morePoets & Writers, Inc.
Cash Prize: $750
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 3/1/26
Two prizes of $750 each are given annually to a poet and a fiction writer residing in the United States. Both winners also receive a monthlong residency at Jentel Artist...
read moreMississippi Arts Commission
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 3/1/26
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Fellowships of up to $5,000 each are given in alternating years to Mississippi poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. This year the fellowships will be...
read morePoetry Foundation
Cash Prize: $27,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 3/2/26
Genre: Poetry
Five fellowships of $27,000 each are given annually to U.S. poets between the ages of 21 and 31. Using only the online submission system, submit 10 pages of poetry and an...
read moreAlabama State Council on the Arts
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 3/2/26
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
At least two fellowships of $5,000 each are given annually to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers who are legal residents of Alabama and have lived in the...
read moreTulipTree Publishing
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 3/8/26
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication in TulipTree Review is given annually for a single poem, a short story, or an essay “whose main characters embody the Wild Woman...
read moreRobinson Jeffers Tor House Foundation
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $10
Application Deadline: 3/14/26
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a single poem. Andrew Schelling will judge. Submit up to three poems of no more than three pages each with a $10 entry fee by March 14....
read morePersea Books
Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 3/15/26
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $2,000 and publication by Persea Books is given annually for a poetry collection by a poet who is a U.S. citizen or resides in the United States and who has...
read morePrairie Schooner
Cash Prize: $3,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 3/15/26
Two prizes of $3,000 each and publication by University of Nebraska Press are given annually for a poetry collection and a story collection. Submit a poetry manuscript of at...
read moreBroadside Lotus Press
Cash Prize: $500
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 3/15/26
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $500 and publication by Broadside Lotus Press is given annually for a poetry collection by an African American poet. Submit two copies of a manuscript of...
read more