Genre: Creative Nonfiction

Women’s Prose Prize

Red Hen Press
Entry Fee: 
$25
Deadline: 
February 28, 2024
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Red Hen Press is given annually for a book of fiction or nonfiction by a writer who identifies as a woman. Laila Halaby will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a story collection, essay collection, novel, memoir, or other manuscript of prose of 25,000 to 80,000 words with a $25 entry fee by February 28. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Award Series

Association of Writers & Writing Programs
Entry Fee: 
$30
Deadline: 
February 28, 2024
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 publication by a participating press is also given annually for an essay collection or a memoir. For the Donald Hall Prize for Poetry, submit a manuscript of at least 48 pages. For the Grace Paley Prize for Short Fiction, submit a manuscript of 150 to 300 pages. For the James Alan McPherson Prize for the Novel, submit a manuscript of 60,000 to 110,000 words. For the Sue William Silverman Prize for Creative Nonfiction, submit a manuscript of 150 to 300 pages. For all prizes, using only the online submission system, submit a manuscript with a $30 entry fee ($20 for AWP members) by February 28. Visit the website for complete guidelines.
Tags: 
novel | short stories | book awards

Book Award

Santa Fe Writers Project
Entry Fee: 
$30
Deadline: 
January 14, 2024
A prize of $1,500 and publication by the Santa Fe Writers Project is given biennially for a book of fiction or creative nonfiction. Deesha Philyaw will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a story collection, novel, essay collection, or memoir of any length with a $30 entry fee by January 14. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Frances “Frank” Rollin Fellowship

Biographers International Organization
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
February 1, 2024
Two prizes of $5,000 each are given annually to writers “working on a biographical work about an African American figure (or figures) whose story provides a significant contribution to our understanding of the Black experience.” The winners also receive publicity through the Biographers International Organization (BIO) website and the Biographer’s Craft newsletter, registration to the annual BIO Conference in May, and a one-year BIO membership. Tamara Payne, Rachel L. Swarns, and Eric K. Washington will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a writing sample of up to 20 pages, a project description, a statement of need, and an author bio by February 1. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for the required entry form and complete guidelines.

Morton, McCarthy, and Sarabande Prizes

Sarabande Books
Entry Fee: 
$29
Deadline: 
February 15, 2024
Two prizes of $3,000 each and publication by Sarabande Books are given annually for collections of poetry and fiction; in 2024, a new prize of $3,000 and publication will also be given for a collection of essays. For the Kathryn A. Morton Prize in Poetry, using only the online submission system, submit a poetry collection of at least 48 pages with a $29 entry fee by February 15. Hanif Abdurraqib will judge. For the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction, using only the online submission system, submit a collection of stories or novellas or a short novel of 150 to 250 pages with a $29 entry fee by February 15. Lauren Groff will judge. For the Sarabande Prize in the Essay, using only the online submission system, submit an essay collection of 150 to 250 pages with a $29 entry fee by February 15. Alexander Chee will judge. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Chautauqua Janus Prize

Chautauqua Institution
Entry Fee: 
$20
Deadline: 
January 31, 2024
A prize of $5,000 and publication in Chautauqua is given annually for a single work of fiction or nonfiction by an emerging writer displaying “daring formal and aesthetic innovations that upset and reorder readers’ imaginations.” The winner also receives a $2,000 travel and lodging stipend to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in summer 2024. Writers who have not published a book of over 15,000 words in any prose genre are eligible. Submissions may consist of unpublished work or work published no earlier than April 2023. Jimin Han will judge. Submit a manuscript of up to 15,000 words totaling no more than 100 pages with a $20 entry fee by January 31. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Nicholas Schaffner Award for Music in Literature

Schaffner Press
Entry Fee: 
$25
Deadline: 
January 31, 2024
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Schaffner Press is given annually for a poetry collection, a novel, a story collection, an essay collection, or a memoir that “deals in some way with the subject of music and its influence.” English translations of works originally written in another language with the author’s permission are accepted. Submit a poetry collection of at least 60 pages; a story collection of 50,000 to 80,000 words; or a novel, essay collection, or memoir of 75,000 to 100,000 words with a $25 entry fee by January 31. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Literary Awards

Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation
Entry Fee: 
$100
Deadline: 
March 11, 2024
Two prizes of $10,000 each are given annually for a book of fiction and a book of nonfiction (including creative nonfiction) published in the previous year that “foster peace, social justice, and global understanding.” A runner-up for each prize receives $5,000. Publishers may submit any number of books published in 2023 with a $100 entry fee per title by March 11. Books first printed in or translated into English are accepted. Visit the website for the required entry form and complete guidelines.

Prizes in Poetry and Prose

Slippery Elm
Entry Fee: 
$15
Deadline: 
February 1, 2024
Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Slippery Elm are given annually for a single poem and a short story or essay. Paula J. Lambert will judge in poetry and Michael Czyzniejewski will judge in prose. English translations of works originally written in another language, in collaboration with or with permission of the author, are accepted. Using only the online submission system, submit up to three poems of any length or up to 5,000 words of prose with a $15 entry fee, which includes the latest issue of Slippery Elm, by February 1. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Nonfiction Prize

Graywolf Press
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
February 28, 2024
A prize of $22,000 (comprised of a $20,000 advance and a $2,000 research stipend) and publication by Graywolf Press will be given biennially for a nonfiction manuscript-in-progress that “emphasizes innovation in form and content” by a writer who is not yet established in the genre of nonfiction. The editors will judge. Using only the online submission system, authors or agents may submit an excerpt of at least 100 pages, a cover letter, and a project description by February 28. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

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