Three prizes of $1,500 each are given annually for self-published books of fiction, young adult fiction, and creative nonfiction. The winners also receive publication of an...
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.
Winning Writers
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $60
Application Deadline: 6/30/17
Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Los Angeles Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 6/30/17
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Four prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Los Angeles Review are given twice yearly for a poem, a short story, a short short story, and an essay. t'ai freedom ford...
read moreAutumn House Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 6/30/17
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication by Autumn House Press are given annually for a poetry collection, a book of fiction, and a book of creative nonfiction. Each winner...
read moreBlue Mountain Center
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 7/1/17
Genre: Poetry, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $5,000 and a monthlong residency at the Blue Mountain Center, an artists colony in Blue Mountain Lake, New York, is given annually to an essayist or journalist whose...
read moreBellevue Literary Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 7/1/17
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Bellevue Literary Review are given annually to a poet, a fiction writer, and a creative nonfiction writer for works about...
read moreSanta Fe Writers Project
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 7/7/17
Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication by 2040 Books, an imprint of the Santa Fe Writers Project, will be given annually for a short story or essay collection, a novel, or a memoir...
read moreStone Canoe
Cash Prize: $500
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 7/8/17
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Prizes of $500 each are given annually for works of poetry and creative nonfiction by writers who are current or past residents of upstate New York. Writers who have not...
read moreFairy Tale Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $10
Application Deadline: 7/15/17
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Fairy Tale Review are given annually for a group of poems and a work of fiction or creative nonfiction influenced by fairy...
read morePRISM
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $40
Application Deadline: 7/15/17
Genre: Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,500 CAD (approximately $1,170) and publication in PRISM is given annually for an essay. Using the online submission system, submit an essay of up...
read moreCincinnati Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 7/15/17
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Cincinnati Review are given annually for a poem and a work of fiction or creative nonfiction. Don Bogen will judge in...
read moreSanta Fe Writers Project
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 7/20/17
Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,500 and publication by the Santa Fe Writers Project is given annually for a book of fiction or creative nonfiction. Two runners-up also receive $1,000 each and...
read moreGreat Lakes Colleges Association
Cash Prize: $500
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 7/25/17
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes are given annually to a poet, a fiction writer, and a creative nonfiction writer to honor their first published books. The winners are also invited to visit...
read moreNarrative
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 7/31/17
Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $2,500 and publication in Narrative is given annually for a short story, a short short story, an essay, or an excerpt from a work of fiction or creative...
read moreNew Millennium Writings
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 7/31/17
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Four prizes of $1,000 each and publication in New Millennium Writings and on the journal's website are given twice yearly for a poem, a short story, a short short...
read moreLeeway Foundation
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 8/1/17
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Project grants of up to $2,500 each are given twice yearly to women and transsexual, transgender, genderqueer, or otherwise gender-nonconforming poets, fiction writers, and...
read morePEN Center USA
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $10
Application Deadline: 8/1/17
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Seven-month fellowships, which include a stipend of $1,000 each, are given annually to emerging poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers who lack access to...
read moreIndiana Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 8/1/17
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Indiana Review is given annually for a poem or fiction or a work of short creative nonfiction. Donika Kelly will judge. Submit up...
read moreDelaware Division of the Arts
Cash Prize: $6,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 8/1/17
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Established Professional Fellowships of $6,000 each and Emerging Artist Fellowships of $3,000 each are given annually to Delaware poets, fiction writers, and creative...
read moreMalahat Review
Cash Prize: $780
Entry Fee: $40
Application Deadline: 8/1/17
Genre: Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 CAD (approximately $780) and publication in Malahat Review is given annually for an essay. Submit an essay of 2,000 to 3,000 words with a $40 entry...
read moreRed Hen Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $5
Application Deadline: 8/31/17
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. Ryka Aoki will judge....
read moreGulf Coast
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $18
Application Deadline: 8/31/17
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Gulf Coast is given annually for a piece of short prose. Roxane Gay will judge. Submit a prose poem, a piece of flash fiction, or...
read moreSustainable Arts Foundation
Cash Prize: $6,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 8/31/17
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Ten awards of $6,000 each and ten awards of $2,000 each are given twice yearly to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers with children. Writers with at least...
read moreSlippery Elm
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 9/1/17
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 the online submission system, submit up to...
read moreBlack Warrior Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 9/1/17
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. Rachel McKibbens will judge in poetry,...
read moreDogwood
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $10
Application Deadline: 9/5/17
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...
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