A prize of $3,000 and publication by Waywiser Books is given annually for a poetry collection by a poet who has published no more than one previous collection. The winner will...
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.
Narratively
Cash Prize: $3,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 12/7/25
Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $3,000 and publication on Narratively’s storytelling platform is given annually for a short work of memoir written in the first person. The winner will also be...
read moreFriends of American Writers
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 12/13/25
Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of around $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...
read morePoetry Society of America
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 12/15/25
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $2,500 and publication on the Poetry Society of America website is given annually to a poet over 40 who has published no more than one poetry collection. Using only...
read morePoetry Society of America
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 12/15/25
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000 and publication on the Poetry Society of America website is given annually for poetry from a manuscript-in-progress. Using only the online submission system,...
read moreStory
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 12/15/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,500 and publication in Story is given annually for a short story. Deesha Philyaw will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a story of...
read moreCenter for Book Arts
Cash Prize: $500
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 12/15/25
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $500 and letterpress publication by Center for Book Arts is given annually for a poetry chapbook. The winner also receives 10 copies of their chapbook, an additional...
read moreWriter’s Digest
Cash Prize: $3,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 12/15/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $3,000 is given annually for a short short story. The winner is also provided money for travel and lodging expenses to attend the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference....
read morePoetry Society of America
Cash Prize: $20,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 12/15/25
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $20,000 is given annually for a unified and complete sequence of poems published in the United States in a print or online journal, a chapbook, or a book during the...
read moreGriffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry
Cash Prize: $7,239
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 12/19/25
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $10,000 Canadian (approximately $7,239) is awarded for a debut poetry collection by a living Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada published during the...
read moreGriffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry
Cash Prize: $94,113
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 12/19/25
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $130,000 Canadian (approximately $94,113) is given annually for a poetry collection published during the current year and written in, or translated into, English....
read moreVirginia Commonwealth University
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 12/30/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $5,000 is given annually for a debut novel published during the current year. The winner is also provided money for the cost of travel and lodging to attend the...
read moreCodhill Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 12/30/25
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000, publication by Codhill Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. James Sherwood will judge. Submit a manuscript of 48 to 70...
read moreAnamcara Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 12/31/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000, publication by Anamcara Press, and 50 author copies will be given annually for a poetry collection, story collection, essay collection, novel, or memoir....
read morePress 53
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 12/31/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000, publication by Press 53, and 53 author copies is given annually for a story collection. Kevin Morgan Watson will judge. Submit a manuscript of 100 to 250...
read moreHub City Press
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 12/31/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $5,000 and publication by Hub City Press is given biennially for a short story collection. Emerging writers who have not published a story collection or more than...
read moreThe Moth
Cash Prize: $7,058
Entry Fee: $19
Application Deadline: 12/31/25
Genre: Poetry
A prize of €6,000 (approximately $7,058) is given annually for a single poem. Three runners-up prizes of €1,000 (approximately $1,176) each are also given. The four shortlisted...
read moreTupelo Press
Cash Prize: $3,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 12/31/25
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $3,000, publication by Tupelo Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. The winner also receives a two-week residency at Gentle House in...
read moreBurnside Review Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 12/31/25
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000, publication by Burnside Review Press, and 10 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Rick Barot will judge. Using only the online submission...
read moreOhio University Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 12/31/25
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Ohio University Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Michael Prior will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit...
read moreLitMag
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 12/31/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $2,500 and publication in LitMag is given annually for a short story. The winner will also have their work reviewed by agents Lisa Bankoff (Bankoff...
read moreBefore Columbus Foundation
Cash Prize: $0
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 12/31/25
Genre: Not Genre-Specific, Poetry
Awards are given annually for books published in the United States during the current year in recognition of “outstanding literary achievement from the entire spectrum of...
read moreBoulevard
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $18
Application Deadline: 12/31/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,500 and publication in Boulevard is given annually for a short story by a writer who has not published a nationally distributed book. The editors will...
read moreLascaux Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 12/31/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Lascaux Review is given annually for a short story. Previously published and unpublished stories are eligible. The editors will...
read morePlentitudes
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 12/31/25
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 more