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.

Desperate Literature

Cash Prize: $1,628
Entry Fee: $22
Application Deadline: 4/14/24
Genre: Fiction

A prize of €1,500 (approximately $1,628), publication in the Desperate Literature prize anthology, and a weeklong residency at the Civitella Ranieri Foundation’s castle in the...

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Poetry Foundation

Cash Prize: $27,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 4/15/24
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...

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New Ohio Review

Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $22
Application Deadline: 4/15/24

Three prizes of $1,500 each and publication in New Ohio Review are given annually for a poem or group of poems, a short story, and an essay. Submit a poem or group of...

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University of Arkansas Press

Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 4/15/24
Genre: Poetry

A prize of $1,000 and publication by University of Arkansas Press is given annually for a first or second poetry collection by a writer of Arab heritage. Series editors Hayan...

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Florida Review

Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 4/15/24

Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Florida Review are given annually for a poem or group of poems, a short story, and an essay. The editors will judge....

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Pen Parentis

Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 4/17/24
Genre: Fiction

A prize of $2,000, a year of mentorship, and publication in Dreamers Creative Writing Magazine is given annually to a fiction writer who is the parent of a child under...

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Sixfold

Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $5
Application Deadline: 4/23/24
Genre: Poetry, Fiction

Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Sixfold are given quarterly for a group of poems and a short story. Using only the online submission system, submit up to...

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Whiting Foundation

Cash Prize: $40,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 4/23/24

Up to 10 grants of $40,000 each are given annually for creative nonfiction works-in-progress to enable writers to complete their books. Creative nonfiction writers under...

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Australian Book Review

Cash Prize: $3,931
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 4/24/24
Genre: Fiction

A prize of $6,000 AUD (approximately $3,931) is given annually for a short story. A second-place prize of $4,000 AUD (approximately $2,621) and a third-place prize of $2,500...

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Tupelo Press

Cash Prize: $3,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 4/30/24
Genre: Poetry

A prize of $3,000, publication by Tupelo Press, and 20 author copies is given annually for a first or second poetry collection. English translations of works originally written...

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Oversound

Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $18
Application Deadline: 4/30/24
Genre: Poetry

A prize of $1,000, publication by Oversound, and 50 author copies is given annually for a poetry chapbook. Diana Khoi Nguyen will judge. Using only the online submission...

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Ghost Story

Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 4/30/24
Genre: Fiction

A prize of $1,500 and publication on the Ghost Story website and in the 21st Century Ghost Stories anthology series is given biannually for a short story with a...

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Marsh Hawk Press

Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 4/30/24
Genre: Poetry

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Marsh Hawk Press is given annually for a poetry collection. John Keene will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a...

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University of Pittsburgh Press

Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 4/30/24
Genre: Poetry

A prize of $5,000 and publication by University of Pittsburgh Press is given annually for a debut poetry collection. Using only the online submission system, submit a...

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University of Iowa Press

Cash Prize: $20
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 4/30/24
Genre: Poetry

Publication by University of Iowa Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Using only the online submission system, submit a manuscript of 50 to 150 pages with a $20...

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Autumn House Press

Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $35
Application Deadline: 4/30/24

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Autumn House Press is given annually for a book of nonfiction. The winner also receives a $1,500 travel and publicity grant. Clifford...

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Inlandia Institute

Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 4/30/24
Genre: Poetry

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...

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Poetry International

Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 4/30/24
Genre: Poetry

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Poetry International is given annually for a single poem. Using only the online submission system, submit up to three poems of any...

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F(r)iction

Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 4/30/24
Genre: Fiction

A prize of $1,000 is given biannually for a short story. Using only the online submission system, submit a story of 1,001 to 7,500 words with a $15 entry fee...

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Tadpole Press

Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 4/30/24

A prize of $2,000 is given biannually for a work of flash poetry or prose. Manuscripts written in a language other than English are accepted when accompanied by an English...

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McGill University

Cash Prize: $14,807
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 5/1/24
Genre: Poetry

A prize of $20,000 Canadian (approximately $14,807) and publication in the Montreal Poetry Prize anthology is given biennially for a poem. A.E. Stallings will judge, and...

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Winning Writers

Cash Prize: $3,500
Entry Fee: $22
Application Deadline: 5/1/24

Two prizes of $3,500 each, two gift certificates for two-year memberships to the literary database Duotrope, and publication on the Winning Writers website are given annually...

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Backwaters Press

Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $32
Application Deadline: 5/1/24
Genre: Poetry

A prize of $2,000 and publication by Backwaters Press, an imprint of University of Nebraska Press, is given annually for a poetry collection. An honorable...

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High Desert Museum

Cash Prize: $3,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 5/1/24

A prize of $3,000 is given annually for a work of nonfiction that recognizes “the vital role deserts play worldwide in the ecosystem and the human narrative...

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Ashland Poetry Press

Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $27
Application Deadline: 5/1/24
Genre: Poetry

A prize of $1,000, publication by Ashland Poetry Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Matthew Rohrer will judge. Using only the online...

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