A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a poem, a short story, or an essay that “tells a story.” The winning work will also be published in the contest anthology, Stories...
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.
TulipTree Publishing
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 8/26/18
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Black Lawrence Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 8/31/18
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Black Lawrence Press is given annually for a debut collection of poems or short stories. The editors will judge. Using the online...
read moreSustainable Arts Foundation
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 8/31/18
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Up to twenty awards of $5,000 each are given annually to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers with children. Writers with at least one child under the age of...
read moreGemini Magazine
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $5
Application Deadline: 8/31/18
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Gemini Magazine is given annually for a short short story. The editors will judge. Submit a story of up to 1,000 words with a $5...
read moreGlimmer Train Press
Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $16
Application Deadline: 8/31/18
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $2,000 and publication in Glimmer Train Stories is given twice yearly for a short short story. Using the online submission system, submit a story of 300 to...
read moreAesthetica
Cash Prize: $1,290
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 8/31/18
Two prizes of £1,000 (approximately $1,290) each and publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual are given annually for a poem and a short story. The...
read moreRed Hen Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $10
Application Deadline: 8/31/18
Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Red Hen Press is given annually for a short story collection, a novel, or an essay collection by a queer writer. David Francis will judge....
read moreGlimmer Train Press
Cash Prize: $3,000
Entry Fee: $21
Application Deadline: 8/31/18
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $3,000 and publication in Glimmer Train Stories is given twice yearly for a short story. A second-place prize of $1,000 is also given. Using the online...
read moreGulf Coast
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $18
Application Deadline: 8/31/18
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Gulf Coast is given annually for a work of short prose. Submit a prose poem, a piece of flash fiction, or a micro-essay of up to...
read moreBlack Warrior Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 9/1/18
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Black Warrior Review are given annually for a poem, a short story, and an essay. Vanessa Angélica Villarreal will judge...
read moreDogwood
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $10
Application Deadline: 9/5/18
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. Submit up to three poems totaling no more than 10...
read moreAsian American Writers Workshop
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 9/12/18
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Fellowships of $5,000 and residency time at the Millay Colony for the Arts in Austerlitz, New York, will be given annually to Asian American, Arab, and Muslim...
read moreHarvard University
Cash Prize: $77,500
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 9/13/18
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Fellowships of $77,500 each, office space at the Radcliffe Institute, and access to the libraries at Harvard University are given annually to poets, fiction writers, and...
read moreManchester Metropolitan University
Cash Prize: $13,200
Entry Fee: $23
Application Deadline: 9/14/18
Two prizes of £10,000 (approximately $13,200) each are given annually for a group of poems and a short story. The winners will be invited to attend an award ceremony in...
read moreJohn Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Cash Prize: $50,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 9/17/18
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Fellowships of approximately $50,000 each are awarded annually to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers on the basis of achievement and exceptional promise....
read moreNew Guard
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $22
Application Deadline: 9/24/18
Two prizes of $1,500 each and publication in the New Guard are given annually for a poem and a short story. Patricia Smith will judge in poetry and Rick Moody will...
read moreNew York Public Library
Cash Prize: $70,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 9/28/18
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Up to 15 fellowships are given annually to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers whose work will benefit directly from access to the research collections at...
read moreSunday Times EFG Short Story Award
Cash Prize: $39,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 9/28/18
Genre: Fiction
A prize of £30,000 (approximately $39,000) is given annually for a short story by a writer whose work has been previously published in the United Kingdom or Ireland. Five...
read moreDzanc Books
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 9/30/18
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $5,000 and publication by Dzanc Books is given annually for a novel. John Domini, Alice Hatcher, and Emily Geminder will judge. Using the online submission system,...
read moreHackney Literary Awards
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 9/30/18
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $5,000 is given annually for an unpublished novel. Submit a manuscript of any length with a $30 entry fee by September 30. Visit the website for complete guidelines...
Dzanc Books
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 9/30/18
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $2,500 and publication by Dzanc Books is given annually for a story collection. The editors will judge. Using the online submission system, submit a story collection...
read moreGhost Story
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 9/30/18
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000, publication on the Ghost Story website and in the Ghost Story print anthology, 21st Century Ghost Stories, is given twice yearly...
read moreUniversity of Massachusetts Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 9/30/18
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Five prizes of $1,000 each and publication by University of Massachusetts Press are given annually for a first poetry collection, a poetry collection, a short story collection...
read moreRed Hen Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 9/30/18
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Red Hen Press is given annually for a short story collection or a novel. Ann Hood will judge. Submit a manuscript of at least 150 pages...
read moreAmerican Literary Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 10/1/18
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in American Literary Review are given annually for a poem, a short story, and an essay. Using the online submission system...
read more