Three awards of $1,000 each will be given annually for a poetry collection, book of fiction, and a book of nonfiction written by a current Massachusetts resident and published...
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.
Massachusetts Center for the Book
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 12/15/26
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Poetry Society of America
Cash Prize: $20,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 12/15/26
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 moreCenter for Book Arts
Cash Prize: $500
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 12/15/26
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $500 and letterpress publication by the Center for Book Arts is given annually for a poetry chapbook. The winner also receives 10 copies of their chapbook, an...
read moreTwo Sylvias Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $24
Application Deadline: 12/15/26
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000, publication by Two Sylvias Press, and 20 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection by a writer over 50 who identifies as female or femme (...
read morePoetry Society of America
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 12/15/26
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 moreTexas Institute of Letters
Cash Prize: $10,000
Entry Fee: $35
Application Deadline: 12/18/26
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A fellowship of $10,000 will be given annually to an emerging, mid-level, or returning writer to support the completion of a poetry collection, book of fiction, or book of...
read moreGriffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry
Cash Prize: $7,218
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 12/18/26
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $10,000 Canadian (approximately $7,218) 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: $93,832
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 12/18/26
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $130,000 Canadian (approximately $93,832) is given annually for a poetry collection written in or translated into English by a living international poet or...
read moreTupelo Press
Cash Prize: $3,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 12/31/26
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 morePlentitudes
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 12/31/26
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Four prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Plentitudes is given annually for a single poem, a short story, an essay, and a work of flash fiction or nonfiction....
read moreBlack Caucus of the American Library Association
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 12/31/26
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Four prizes of $1,000 each are given annually for a poetry collection, a debut novel, a book of fiction, and a book of nonfiction (including creative nonfiction) by African...
read moreOhio University Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 12/31/26
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Ohio University Press is given annually for a poetry collection. George David Clark will judge. Using only the online submission system,...
read moreBurnside Review Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 12/31/26
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000, publication by Burnside Review Press, and 10 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Danielle Pafunda will judge. Using only the online...
read moreBefore Columbus Foundation
Cash Prize: $0
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 12/31/26
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 moreThe Moth
Cash Prize: $7,002
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 12/31/26
Genre: Poetry
A prize of €6,000 (approximately $7,002) is given annually for a single poem. Three runners-up prizes of €1,000 (approximately $1,167) each are also given. The winner and...
read moreSlipstream Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 1/1/27
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000, publication by Slipstream Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry chapbook. The editors will judge. Submit a manuscript of up to 40 pages...
read moreMississippi Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $16
Application Deadline: 1/1/27
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Mississippi Review are given annually for a single poem, a short story, and an essay. Current or former University of...
read moreGemini Magazine
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $10
Application Deadline: 1/2/27
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Gemini Magazine is given annually for a single poem. The editors will judge. Submit up to three poems of any length with a $10...
read moreTexas Institute of Letters
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 1/8/27
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Two awards of $5,000 each will be given annually for a book of fiction and a debut book of fiction. Additionally, an award of $4,000 will be given for a book of nonfiction. An...
read moreTexas Institute of Letters
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 1/8/27
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three awards of $1,000 each will be given annually for a poem written in English or Spanish, a short story, and a short work of nonfiction. Works by writers who have lived in...
read moreWinter Anthology
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $11
Application Deadline: 1/10/27
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Winter Anthology is given annually for a group of poems, a short story, a novel excerpt, or an essay. Using only the online...
read moreWOMR/WFMR Community Radio
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 1/11/27
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a single poem. Marge Piercy will judge. Submit up to five poems of no more than two pages each with a $15 entry fee by January 11, 2027...
read moreColorado Review
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 1/14/27
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $2,500 and publication by the Center for Literary Publishing is given annually for a poetry collection. Juliana Spahr will judge. Submit a manuscript of 48 to 100...
read moreLit Fox Books
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 1/15/27
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,500, publication by Lit Fox Books, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Using only the online submission system, submit a poetry...
read more