Genre: Fiction

Winter Story Contest

Narrative
Entry Fee: 
$27
Deadline: 
March 31, 2026
A prize of $2,500 and publication in Narrative is given annually for a short story, a work of flash fiction, an essay, a memoir, or an excerpt from a longer work of fiction or creative nonfiction. A second-place prize of $1,000 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 March 31. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Breakout! Prize

Epiphany
Entry Fee: 
$10
Deadline: 
April 15, 2026
Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Epiphany are given annually for a poem or a group of poems and a short work of fiction or nonfiction. Using only the online submission system, submit up to five poems of any length or up to 5,000 words of a short story, novel excerpt, or essay with a $10 entry fee by April 15. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Literary Prizes

New Ohio Review
Entry Fee: 
$22
Deadline: 
April 15, 2026
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 poems of up to six pages or a story or essay of up to 20 pages with a $22 entry fee, which includes a subscription to New Ohio Review, by April 15. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Editor’s Prizes

Florida Review
Entry Fee: 
$25
Deadline: 
April 15, 2026
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. Submit up to five poems of any length or up to 30 pages of prose with a $25 entry fee, which includes a subscription to Florida Review, by April 15. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Prizes in Poetry and Fiction

Orison Books
Entry Fee: 
$25
Deadline: 
April 1, 2026
Two prizes of $1,500 each and publication by Orison Books are given annually for a poetry collection and a book of fiction. Leila Chatti will judge in poetry, and Margot Livesey will judge in fiction. Using only the online submission system, submit a poetry manuscript of 50 to 100 pages or a novel, novella, or collection of short stories or flash fiction of at least 30,000 words with a $25 entry fee by April 1. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Writing Fellowships

A Public Space
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
March 31, 2026
Three six-month fellowships of $1,000 each are given annually to emerging poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers who “embrace risk in their work” and have not published a full-length book. The fellows will work with the editors to prepare a piece for publication in A Public Space, receive complimentary access to all A Public Space master classes during the fellowship year, and will have the opportunity to meet with publishing professionals and participate in a public reading. For fellowships from June 1 to November 30, using only the online submission system, submit a résumé, a group of poems totaling no more than 15 pages or a short story or essay of up to 6,000 words with a cover letter and a brief written statement by March 31. There is no application fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Writing Fellowship for New Parents

Pen Parentis
Entry Fee: 
$20
Deadline: 
April 17, 2026
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 the age of 10. The winner also receives an invitation to give a virtual reading for the Pen Parentis Literary Salon in November. Using only the online submission system, submit a story of up to 440 words with a $20 entry fee (there is no entry fee for Pen Parentis members) by April 17. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

ALTA First Translation Prize

American Literary Translators Association
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
March 16, 2026
A prize of $3,000 is given annually for a debut poetry collection, book of fiction, or book of creative nonfiction translated from any language into English and published in the previous year. The translator will receive $2,000, and the editor will receive $1,000. Translators who have not previously published a book in translation are eligible. Publishers or translators may submit a book published in 2025 by March 16. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for the required entry form and complete guidelines.

Emerging Writers’ Contest

Ploughshares
Entry Fee: 
$30
Deadline: 
March 31, 2026
Three prizes of $2,000 each and publication in Ploughshares are given annually for a poem or group of poems, a short story, and an essay. Each winner also receives a consultation with the literary agency Aevitas Creative Management. Writers who have not published a book or a chapbook with a print run of over 350 copies are eligible. Using only the online submission system, submit three to five pages of poetry or up to 6,500 words of prose with a $30 entry fee (there is no entry fee for current subscribers), which includes a subscription to Ploughshares, by March 31. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Italian Prose in Translation Award

American Literary Translators Association
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
March 16, 2026
A prize of $5,000 is given annually for a book of fiction or nonfiction translated from Italian into English and published in the previous year. Publishers or translators may submit a book published in 2025 in the United States by March 16. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for the required entry form and complete guidelines.

Pages

Subscribe to Fiction