A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a short story. The winning story will also be considered for publication in Thomas Wolfe Review. Therese Anne Fowler will judge....
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.
North Carolina Writers’ Network
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 1/30/21
Genre: Fiction
Crazyhorse
Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 1/31/21
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $2,000 each and publication in Crazyhorse are given annually for a poem, a short story, and an essay. Using only the online submission system, submit up...
read moreBlack Lawrence Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 1/31/21
A prize of $1,000, publication by Black Lawrence Press, and 10 author copies is given annually for a novel. The contest is open to traditional novels “as well as novels-in-...
read moreIowa Review
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 1/31/21
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $1,500 each and publication in Iowa Review are given annually for works of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Using only the online submission system,...
read moreGhost Story
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 1/31/21
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication on the Ghost Story website and in the 21st Century Ghost Stories anthology will be given annually for a flash fiction piece with a...
read moreAKO Caine Prize for African Writing
Cash Prize: $12,860
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 1/31/21
Genre: Fiction
A prize of £10,000 (approximately $12,860) is given annually for a previously published short story by an African writer. Shortlisted writers will receive £500 (approximately $...
read moreMoney for Women/Barbara Deming Memorial Fund
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 1/31/21
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Grants of up to $1,500 each are given in alternating years to feminist poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers who are citizens of the United States or Canada. The...
read moreMasters Review
Cash Prize: $3,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 1/31/21
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $3,000 and publication in Masters Review is given twice yearly for a short story by an emerging writer. The winning story will also be reviewed by a...
read moreNew Millennium Writings
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 1/31/21
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Four prizes of $1,000 each and publication in New Millennium Writings are given twice yearly for a poem, a short story, a work of flash fiction, and a work of creative...
read moreSchaffner Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 1/31/21
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Schaffner Press is given annually for a poetry collection, a novel, a short story collection, an essay collection, or a memoir that “deals...
read moreAustin Community College
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 1/31/21
Two prizes of $1,500 each are given annually for a poetry collection and a book of fiction published during the previous year. Authors or publishers may submit three copies of...
read moreSlippery Elm
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 2/1/21
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Slippery Elm are given annually for a poem and a short story or essay. Using only the online submission system, submit up to...
read moreStadler Center for Poetry & Literary Arts
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 2/1/21
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Two four-month residencies, which include a stipend of $5,000 each, at the Stadler Center for Poetry & Literary Arts at Bucknell University are given annually to fiction...
read moreAmerican Short Fiction
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $17
Application Deadline: 2/1/21
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication in American Short Fiction is given annually for a piece of flash fiction. Using only the online submission system, submit up to three...
read moreRuminate
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 2/1/21
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,500 and publication in Ruminate is given annually for a short story. Using only the online submission system, submit a story of up to 5,500 words with a $...
read moreChattahoochee Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $18
Application Deadline: 2/8/21
Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Chattahoochee Review are given annually for a short story and an essay. Using only the online submission system, submit a...
read moreWinter Anthology
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $11
Application Deadline: 2/10/21
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Winter Anthology is given annually for a group of poems, a story, or an essay. Both unpublished and previously published work is...
read moreSyracuse University Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 2/15/21
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Syracuse University Press is given biennially for a novel or short story collection by a U.S. veteran, active duty personnel in any branch...
read moreSarabande Books
Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $29
Application Deadline: 2/15/21
Two prizes of $2,000 each and publication by Sarabande Books are given annually for collections of poetry and fiction. For the Kathryn A. Morton Prize in Poetry, submit a...
read moreSustainable Arts Foundation
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 2/26/21
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 moreAssociation of Writers & Writing Programs
Cash Prize: $5,500
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 2/28/21
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Two prizes of $5,500 each and publication by a participating press are given annually for a poetry collection and a short story collection. In addition, two prizes of $2,500...
read moreLittle Tokyo Historical Society
Cash Prize: $500
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 2/28/21
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $500 and publication in Rafu Shimpo and on the Discover Nikkei website is given annually for a short story that takes place in the Little Tokyo district of...
read moreBlack Caucus of the American Library Association
Cash Prize: $500
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 2/28/21
Two prizes of $500 each are given annually for a poetry e-book and a fiction e-book by an African American writer self-published in the United States during the previous year....
read moreRed Hen Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 2/28/21
Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Red Hen Press is given annually for a book of fiction or nonfiction by a woman. Using only the online submission system, submit a story or...
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