A prize of $35,000 is given annually for a book of fiction published in the current year that “illuminates a vital contemporary issue and demonstrates the transformative power...
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.
Literary Arts
Cash Prize: $10,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 8/8/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Fellowships of $3,500 each are given annually to aid Oregon writers in initiating, developing, or completing literary projects in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction....
read moreGival Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 8/8/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication on the Gival Press website is given annually for a short story. Submit a story of 5,000 to 15,000 words with a $25 entry fee by August 8....
read moreTulipTree Publishing
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 8/9/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a poem, a short story, or an essay that responds to the following prompt: “What if the only way to save yourself from this reality is to...
read moreFuturepoem
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $28
Application Deadline: 8/15/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Cross-Genre
A prize of $1,000, publication by Futurepoem, and 25 author copies is given annually for a book of innovative poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or hybrid work “that...
read moreIndiana Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 8/15/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Indiana Review is given annually for a poem or a work of flash fiction or creative nonfiction. Submit up to three poems, stories, or...
read moreUniversity of New Orleans Press
Cash Prize: $10,000
Entry Fee: $28
Application Deadline: 8/31/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $10,000 and publication by University of New Orleans Press is given annually for a short story collection or novel. Using only the online submission system, submit a...
read moreKinsman Quarterly
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 8/31/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Kinsman Quarterly is given annually for a group of poems, a short story, or an essay on a theme related to African culture or...
read moreAesthetica
Cash Prize: $3,324
Entry Fee: $16
Application Deadline: 8/31/25
Two prizes of £2,500 (approximately $3,324) each and publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing anthology are given annually for a poem and a short story. In addition, the...
read moreHowling Bird Press
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 8/31/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $2,500 and publication by Howling Bird Press is given in alternating years for a book of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. The 2026 prize will be awarded in...
read moreJournal of Experimental Fiction
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 8/31/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication by JEF Books, the publisher of Journal of Experimental Fiction, is given annually for an innovative novel. Jeff Weisman will judge....
read moreUniversity of Iowa Press
Cash Prize: $0
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 8/31/25
Genre: Fiction
Two prizes of publication by University of Iowa Press are given annually for debut collections of short fiction. Submit a manuscript of at least 150 pages by August 31. There...
read moreBlack Lawrence Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 8/31/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000, publication by Black Lawrence Press, and 10 author copies is given annually for a debut collection of poems, short stories, or essays. The editors and a...
read moreLorian Hemingway Short Story Competition
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 9/1/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,500 and publication on the competition website is given annually for a short story by a writer whose fiction has not appeared in a nationally distributed...
read moreAcademy for Teachers
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $5
Application Deadline: 9/1/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication in A Public Space is given annually for a work of flash fiction about teachers and school in which the protagonist or narrator is a K–...
read moreGemini Magazine
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $8
Application Deadline: 9/2/25
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Gemini Magazine is given annually for a work of flash fiction. The editors will judge. Submit a story of up to 1,000 words with an $...
read moreMaine Arts Commission
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 9/3/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A fellowship of up to $5,000 is given annually to a poet, a fiction writer, a creative nonfiction writer, or a writer working in a genre outside these categories who is a...
read moreLiterary Arts
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $55
Application Deadline: 9/5/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Four prizes of $1,000 each are given annually for books of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and general nonfiction published in the current year by writers living in...
read moreDogwood
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $12
Application Deadline: 9/5/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Dogwood are given annually for a poem, a short story, and an essay. Using only the online submission system, submit up to...
read moreMasters Review
Cash Prize: $3,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 9/7/25
Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $3,000 and publication in Masters Review is given annually for a short story or an essay by an emerging writer. Writers who have not published a book, self-...
read moreHarvard University
Cash Prize: $78,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 9/11/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Fellowships of $78,000 each, as well as office space at the Radcliffe Institute and access to the libraries at Harvard University, are given annually to poets, fiction writers...
read moreSanta Fe Writers Project
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 9/15/25
Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
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...
read moreAmerican-Scandinavian Foundation
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 9/15/25
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Translation
A prize of $2,500 and publication of an excerpt in Scandinavian Review is given annually for an English translation of a work of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction...
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