Genre: Poetry

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

Winning Writers
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
April 1, 2025
A prize of $2,000, a gift certificate for a two-year membership to the literary database Duotrope, and publication on the Winning Writers website is given annually for a humorous poem. A second-place prize of $500 is also awarded. Jendi Reiter and Lauren Singer will judge. Unpublished and previously published works are eligible. Using only the online submission system, submit a poem of up to 250 lines by April 1. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Hudson Prize

Black Lawrence Press
Entry Fee: 
$30
Deadline: 
March 31, 2025
A prize of $1,000, publication by Black Lawrence Press, and 10 author copies is given annually for a collection of poems, short stories, essays, or hybrid work. The editors will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a poetry manuscript of 45 to 95 pages or a prose manuscript of 120 to 280 pages with a $30 entry fee by March 31. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Poetry Prize

Oberon
Entry Fee: 
$18
Deadline: 
April 10, 2025
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Oberon is given annually for a single poem. Submit up to three poems of no more than two pages each with an $18 entry fee, which includes an issue of Oberon, by April 10. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Annual Writing Competition

Writer’s Digest
Entry Fee: 
$20
Deadline: 
May 5, 2025
A prize of $5,000, an interview in Writer’s Digest, and an all-expenses-paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference is given annually for a single poem, a short story, or an essay (among other categories). Four prizes of $1,000 each and publication on the Writer’s Digest website are also given for a rhyming poem, a non-rhyming poem, a short story, and a personal essay. Using only the online submission system, submit a poem of up to 40 lines, a story of no more than 4,000 words, or an essay of up to 2,000 words by the early bird deadline of May 5. The entry fee for poetry is $20 ($15 for each additional poem); the entry fee for prose is $30 ($25 for each additional entry). Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Susan Kamil Scholarship for Emerging Writers

Book Industry Charitable Foundation
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
March 25, 2025
Two prizes of $12,500 each will be given annually for an excerpt of a poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction manuscript-in-progress written by a bookseller. Writers who are working on full-length manuscripts of poetry, fiction (including graphic novels), or creative nonfiction (including memoirs), who have not previously published a book in any genre, and who are currently employed at a bookstore or comic book store in the United States (after at least three consecutive months of employment) are eligible. Using only the online submission system, submit six pages of poetry or prose, an overview of the work-in-progress, and a letter of recommendation by March 31. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Single Poem Broadside Contest

Omnidawn Publishing
Entry Fee: 
$14
Deadline: 
April 16, 2025
A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a single poem. The winner also receives 20 copies of a letterpress broadside of the winning poem, which will be published in Omnidawn Newsletter. Jennifer Hasegawa will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a poem of 8 to 24 lines with a $14 entry fee ($17 for two poems and $30 for up to five poems) by April 16. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Literary Awards

Bellingham Review
Entry Fee: 
$15
Deadline: 
March 15, 2025
Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Bellingham Review are given annually for works of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The Parallel Award for Poetry is given for a poem or group of poems. The Tobias Wolff Award for Fiction is given for a short story or a work of flash fiction. The Annie Dillard Award for Creative Nonfiction is given for an essay or a work of flash nonfiction. Using only the online submission system, submit up to three poems of any length, three pieces of flash fiction or nonfiction of up to 1,500 words each, or a story or essay of up to 4,000 words with a $15 entry fee by March 15. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Peseroff Prize

Breakwater Review
Entry Fee: 
$10
Deadline: 
May 1, 2025
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Breakwater Review is given annually for a single poem. Submit up to three poems of any length with a $10 entry fee by May 1. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Prizes in Poetry and Fiction

Orison Books
Entry Fee: 
$25
Deadline: 
April 1, 2025
Two prizes of $1,500 each and publication by Orison Books are given annually for a poetry collection and a book of fiction. Phillip B. Williams will judge in poetry, and Tessa Fontaine will judge in fiction. Using only the online submission system, submit a poetry manuscript of 50 to 100 pages or a novel, novella, or collection of short stories or flash fiction of at least 30,000 words with a $25 entry fee by April 1. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

ALTA First Translation Prize

American Literary Translators Association
Entry Fee: 
$0
Deadline: 
March 17, 2025
A prize of $3,000 will be given annually for a book of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction translated from any language into English and published in the previous year. The translator will receive $2,000, and the editor will receive $1,000. Translators who have not published a book in translation are eligible. Publishers or translators may submit a book published in 2024 by March 17. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for the required entry form and complete guidelines.

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