A prize of $1,000 and publication in Southwest Review is given annually for a short story by a writer who has not published a full-length book of fiction. Submit a...
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.
Moon City Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 5/1/18
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Moon City Press will be given annually for a poetry collection. The editors will judge. Submit a manuscript of at least 48 pages with a $25...
read morePleiades Press
Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 5/1/18
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $2,000 and publication by Pleiades Press is given annually for a poetry collection. The winner also receives $1,000 to fund a book tour. The editors will judge....
read moreCarve Magazine
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 5/15/18
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,500 and publication in Carve Magazine is given annually for a short story. Submit a story of up to 10,000 words with a $15 entry fee ($17 for electronic...
read moreCenter for Documentary Studies
Cash Prize: $10,000
Entry Fee: $70
Application Deadline: 5/15/18
A prize of $10,000 and publication in the Center for Documentary Studies digital periodical is given annually for a documentary project that incorporates text and images. The...
read moreLost Horse Press
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $28
Application Deadline: 5/15/18
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000, publication by Lost Horse Press, and 20 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection by a U.S. poet. Piotr Florczyk will judge. Using the online...
read moreAcademy of American Poets
Cash Prize: $25,000
Entry Fee: $75
Application Deadline: 5/15/18
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $25,000 is given annually for a poetry collection by a living poet published in the United States during the previous year. Copies of the winning book are purchased...
read moreGeorgia Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 5/15/18
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Georgia Review is given annually for a poem. Submit up to three poems totaling no more than ten pages with a $15 entry fee (there...
read moreAmerican Poetry Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $15
Application Deadline: 5/15/18
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000 and publication in American Poetry Review is given annually for a poem by a poet under the age of 40. The editors will judge. Submit up to three...
read moreAcademy of American Poets
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 5/15/18
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $5,000 is given annually for a second book of poetry by a living poet to be published in the current year. The winner also receives an all-expenses-paid weeklong...
read morePloughshares
Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $24
Application Deadline: 5/15/18
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $2,000 each and publication in Ploughshares are given annually for a poem or group of poems, a short story, and an essay. Each winner also receives a...
read moreLeeway Foundation
Cash Prize: $15,000
Entry Fee: $0
Application Deadline: 5/15/18
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Awards of $15,000 each are given annually to women and transgender, transsexual, genderqueer, or otherwise gender-nonconforming poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction...
read moreBreakwater Review
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $10
Application Deadline: 5/15/18
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Breakwater Review is given annually for a single poem. Jill McDonough will judge. Submit three poems of any length with a $10...
read moreRuminate Magazine
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $20
Application Deadline: 5/15/18
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $1,500 and publication in Ruminate Magazine is given annually for a poem. Ilya Kaminsky will judge. Using the online submission system, submit up to two...
read moreHidden River Arts
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $22
Application Deadline: 5/15/18
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Hidden River Publishing will be given annually for a book-length work of speculative fiction. Using the online submission system, submit a...
read moreDel Sol Press
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 5/15/18
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,500, publication by Del Sol Press, and 20 author copies is given annually for a first novel. Robert Olen Butler will judge. Using the online submission system,...
read moreCrook's Corner Book Prize Foundation
Cash Prize: $5,000
Entry Fee: $35
Application Deadline: 5/15/18
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $5,000 is given annually for a debut novel set in the American South. The winner is also entitled to receive a free glass of wine every day for a year at Crook's...
read moreLynx House Press
Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $28
Application Deadline: 5/15/18
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $2,000 and publication by Lynx House Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Submit a manuscript of at least 48 pages with a $28 entry fee by May 15. Visit...
read moreNational Book Foundation
Cash Prize: $10,000
Entry Fee: $135
Application Deadline: 5/16/18
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Three prizes of $10,000 each are given annually to honor a book of poetry, a book of fiction, and a book of nonfiction written by U.S. writers and published in the United...
read moreNew Letters
Cash Prize: $1,500
Entry Fee: $24
Application Deadline: 5/18/18
Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction
Two prizes of $1,500 each and publication in New Letters are given annually for a group of poems and a short story. Submit up to six poems or a story of up to 8,000...
read moreNew Letters
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $24
Application Deadline: 5/18/18
Genre: Creative Nonfiction
A prize of $2,500 and publication in New Letters will be given annually for an essay. Submit up to 8,000 words of prose with a $24 entry fee, which includes a...
read moreElixir Press
Cash Prize: $2,000
Entry Fee: $40
Application Deadline: 5/31/18
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $2,000, publication by Elixir Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a short story collection or a novel. Amina Gautier will judge. Submit a manuscript of...
read moreBackwaters Press
Cash Prize: $2,500
Entry Fee: $30
Application Deadline: 5/31/18
Genre: Poetry
A prize of $2,500, publication by Backwaters Press, and 30 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Kwame Dawes will judge. Using the online submission system,...
read moreBOA Editions
Cash Prize: $1,000
Entry Fee: $25
Application Deadline: 5/31/18
Genre: Fiction
A prize of $1,000 and publication by BOA Editions is given annually for a short story collection. Peter Conners will judge. Submit a manuscript of 90 to 200 pages with a $25...
read more