Genre: Creative Nonfiction

California Book Awards

Commonwealth Club of California
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
November 15, 2023
Five prizes of $5,000 each are given annually for a poetry collection, a book of fiction, a first book of fiction, a book of creative nonfiction, and a book of nonfiction that relates to California. Three additional prizes of up to $2,500 each are also given in the fiction, first fiction, and nonfiction categories. Books written by authors residing in California are eligible. Publishers may submit six copies of books published in 2023 by November 15. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for the required entry form and complete guidelines.

Pushcart Prizes

Pushcart Press
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
December 1, 2023
Publication in The Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses is awarded annually for works of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction published by literary magazines or small presses during the current year. Editors may nominate up to six poems, short stories, novel chapters, or essays published, or scheduled to be published, in 2023; submit one copy of each work by December 1. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Firecracker Awards

Community of Literary Magazines & Presses
Entry Fee: 
$65
Deadline: 
November 17, 2023
Three prizes of $2,000 each are given annually for a book of poetry, a book of fiction, and a book of creative nonfiction published by an independent press in the current year ($1,000 for each author and $1,000 for their respective publisher). Works in translation and graphic novels are accepted. Using only the online submission system, publishers may submit books of poetry or prose published in 2023 with a $65 entry fee ($55 for CLMP members) for the first book and a $30 fee ($25 for CLMP members) for each additional entry by November 17. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Fall Story Contest

Narrative
Entry Fee: 
$27
Deadline: 
November 30, 2023
A prize of $2,500 and publication in Narrative is given annually for a short story, a short short story, an essay, a short graphic narrative, a short work of memoir, or an excerpt from a longer work of prose. A second-place prize of $1,000 and publication in Narrative is also awarded. The editors will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit up to 15,000 words of prose with a $27 entry fee by November 30. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Desert Writers Award

Ellen Meloy Fund
Entry Fee: 
$15
Deadline: 
January 15, 2024
A prize of $5,000 is given annually to enable a creative nonfiction writer “whose work reflects the spirit and passions for the desert embodied in Ellen Meloy’s writing” to spend creative time in a desert environment. Using only the online submission system, submit up to 10 pages of creative nonfiction, a project proposal, and a biographical statement of up to one page with a $15 entry fee by January 15, 2024. Visit the website for the required entry form and complete guidelines.

Bird in Your Hands Prize

Thin Air Magazine
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
November 5, 2023
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Thin Air Magazine is given annually for a single poem, a short story, or an essay written by a BIPOC writer. The winner will also be invited to read their winning entry at the Northern Arizona Book Festival in April 2024. Using only the online submission system, submit a work of poetry or prose of up to 500 words by November 5. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Jeanne Leiby Memorial Chapbook Contest

Florida Review
Entry Fee: 
$25
Deadline: 
December 31, 2023

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Florida Review is given annually for a chapbook of short fiction, short nonfiction, or graphic narrative. Submit a manuscript of up to 45 pages with a $25 entry fee by December 31. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Translation Prize

French-American Foundation
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
January 12, 2024
Two prizes of $10,000 each are given annually for translations from French into English of a book of fiction and a book of nonfiction (including creative nonfiction) published in the United States during the current year. A jury of translators and literary professionals will judge. Authors, translators, agents, and publishers may submit six excerpts (three from the original French and three matching selections from the English translation) from a book published in 2023 by January 12, 2024. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Literature Awards

Friends of American Writers
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
December 10, 2023
A prize of $2,500 is given annually for a book of fiction or creative nonfiction published during the current year that is set in the Midwest or by a writer who is a resident of the Midwest (or who previously resided in the Midwest for at least five years). The prize may be split if more than one winner is selected. Writers who have published up to three books are eligible. Self-published books are not accepted. Authors or publishers may submit two copies of books published in 2023 with an author bio by December 10. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

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