A prize of $1,500 is given annually for a short story by a writer who has not published a full-length book of fiction. The winner also receives domestic airfare of up to $500,...
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.
Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 10/1/23
Genre: Fiction
Zoetrope: All-Story
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 10/2/23
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication on the Zoetrope: All-Story website is given annually for a short story. The winner and finalists are considered for representation by...
read moreOne Story
Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 10/11/23
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $2,000, access to One Story online classes, and admission to One Story’s weeklong summer writers’ conference, which includes craft lectures, an intensive...
read morePulitzer Prizes
Cash Prize: $15,000
Entry Fee: $75
Application Deadline: 10/13/23
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Six prizes of $15,000 each are given annually for books of poetry, fiction, general nonfiction, U.S. history, biography, and memoir or autobiography published in the United...
read moreSilverfish Review Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 10/15/23
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000, publication by Silverfish Review Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a first poetry collection. Submit a manuscript of at least 48 pages with a...
read moreTennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 10/15/23
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a group of poems. The winner will also be invited to give a reading at the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival in...
read moreFordham University at Lincoln Center
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $28
Application Deadline: 10/15/23
Genre: Poetry
Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication by Fordham University Press are given annually for poetry collections. The winners also receive a publicity consultation and a virtual...
read moreAmy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholarship
Cash Prize: $66,500
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 10/15/23
Genre: Poetry
An award of approximately $66,500 is given annually to a U.S. poet for a year of travel and study outside of North America. Submit two copies of up to 40 pages of published or...
read moreAlice James Books
Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 10/16/23
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $2,000 and publication by Alice James Books is given annually for a poetry collection by a poet residing in the United States. Submit a manuscript of 48 to 100 pages...
read moreTulipTree Publishing
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 10/17/23
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication in the Fall/Winter issue of TulipTree Review is given annually for a humorous poem, story, or essay. Submit a poem or a work of prose...
read moreSixfold
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $5
Application Deadline: 10/24/23
Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Sixfold are given quarterly for a group of poems and a short story. Using only the online submission system, submit up to...
read moreDiode Editions
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 10/30/23
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,500, publication by Diode Editions, and 10 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. The winner will also have select poems from their book...
read moreTucson Festival of Books
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 10/31/23
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $1,000 each are given annually for works of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The winners will also receive scholarships to attend a workshop at the...
read moreSaturnalia Books
Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 10/31/23
Genre: Poetry, Translation
A prize of $2,000 and publication by Saturnalia Books is given annually for a translation of a poetry collection. Translators who identify as female (including those who are...
read morePersea Books
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 10/31/23
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Persea Books is given annually for a debut poetry collection by a writer who identifies as a woman. The winner also receives an optional...
read moreUniversity of North Texas Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 10/31/23
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000 and publication by University of North Texas Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Melissa Range will judge. Using only the online submission...
read moreCloudbank Books
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 10/31/23
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Cross-Genre
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Cloudbank Books is given annually for a collection of poetry, flash fiction, or a combination of the two. Submit a manuscript of 60 to 90...
read moreRed Hen Press
Cash Prize: $3,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 10/31/23
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $3,000 and publication by Red Hen Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Juan Felipe Herrera will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a...
read moreCarlow University
Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 10/31/23
Genre: Poetry
A prize valued at $2,000 is given annually to a woman poet over 40 who has not published a full-length poetry collection. The winner receives $1,000, publication in Voices...
read moreNovel Slices
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $12
Application Deadline: 10/31/23
Genre: Fiction
Five prizes of $1,000 each will be given twice yearly for a novel excerpt. Winners will also receive letters of support sent on their behalf to agents and publishers. Juliette...
read morePoetry Society of the United Kingdom
Cash Prize: $6,382
Entry Fee: $10
Application Deadline: 10/31/23
Genre: Poetry
A prize of £5,000 (approximately $6,382) and publication on the Poetry Society of the United Kingdom website is given annually for a single poem. A second-place prize of £2,000...
read moreBedford Competition
Cash Prize: $1,914
Entry Fee: $10
Application Deadline: 10/31/23
Two prizes of £1,500 each (approximately $1,914) and publication in the Bedford Competition anthology are given annually for a poem and a short story. MacGillivray will judge...
read moreElixir Press
Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 10/31/23
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $2,000, publication by Elixir Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Jennifer Franklin will judge. Using only the online submission...
read moreF(r)iction
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 11/1/23
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 is given twice yearly for a short story. Using only the online submission system, submit a story of 1,001 to 7,500 words with a $15 entry fee by November 1....
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