Writing Contests :: Books
Deadline Dates
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Open or No Deadline Contests /
Awards for Works Published
Please note dates carefully.
The
"NEW!" graphic indicates recently added or updated. Most
recent update: May 8, 2008
May Deadline
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Anhinga Press
Prize for Poetry
For poets trying to publish a first or second book of poetry in English.
Deadline: February 15 - May 1 (annual)
Kent State University Press
The Stan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize
For a first book of poems
Deadline: Postmark February 1 - May 1, 2008
Southwest Review
The David Nathan Meyerson Prize for Fiction
Deadline: Postmark May 1, 2008
Sow's Ear Poetry Review
Chapbook Contest
Open March-April only
Deadline: Postmark May 1 (annual)
Spire Press
Spring Poetry Chapbook Contest
Deadline: May 1 (annual)
Zone 3
First Book Award for Poetry
Deadline: May 1, 2008
Ashland Poetry Press
The Richard Snyder Memorial Publication Prize
Deadline: May 15 (annual)
Eastern Washington University Press
The Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry
Deadline: May 15, 2008
Eastern Washington University Press
The Spokane Prize for Short Fiction
Deadline: May 15, 2008
Lost Horse Press
The Idaho Prize for Poetry
Deadline: Postmark May 15
New American Press
Chapbook Contest
Poetry, Fiction, or Nonfiction
Deadline: May 15, 2008
Slapering Hol Press
Chapbook Competition
Deadline: Postmark May 15, 2008
Cave Canem
Poetry prize for a first book by African American poets who have not been professionally published.
Deadline: Received May 16 by 5:00pm
Gival Press
Novel Award
Deadline: Postmark May 30, 2008
Black Lawrence Press
Black River Poetry Chapbook Contest
Deadline: October 31 and May 31 (annual)
Dream Horse Press
National Poetry Chapbook Prize
Deadline: Postmark May 31, 2008
Elixir Press
Fiction Award
Deadline: May 31, 2008
(Poetry chapbook competition held in odd-numbered years.)
Field Magazine
Oberlin College Press Poetry Prize
Deadline: Postmark during May
(*Guidelines available in March)
The Laurel Review
Greentower Press
4th annual Midwest Poetry Chapbook Competition
Deadline: May 31, 2008
Main Street Rag
Annual Chapbook Contest
Deadline: Postmark May 31, 2008
University of Georgia Press
Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction
Deadline: Postmark April - May
June Deadline
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Many Mountains Moving
Poetry Book Contest
Deadline: Postmark June 1, 2008
Southeast Missouri State University Press
Copperdome Poetry Chapbook Competition
Deadline: June 1, 2008
Texas Review Press
Robert Phillips Poetry Chapbook Prize
Deadline: June 15 (annual)
University of Akron Press
Akron Poetry Prize
Deadline: Postmark May 15 to June 30 (annual)
ABZ Press
Poetry Prize
Deadline: May - June 2008 Postmark
Anabiosis Press
Poetry Chapbook Contest
Deadline: June 30, 2008
Autumn House Press
Poetry and Fiction Contests
Deadline: Postmark June 30 (annual)
Barrow Street Press
Book Contest
Poetry MS in English
Judge: Phillip Levine
Deadline: June 30, 2008
Burnside Review
4th Annual Chapbook Competition
Judge: Paul Guest
Deadline: June 30, 2008
Finishing Line Press
Prize in Poetry: Open Chapbook Contest
Deadline: Postmark June 30, 2008
Omnidawn
Poetry Prize
Deadline: Postmark March 1 - June 30, 2008
University of Pittsburgh Press
Drue Heinz Literature Prize - Short Fiction
Deadline: Postmark on/after May 1 and on/before June 30
July Deadline
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Crab Orchard Review
Crab Orchard Series in Poetry First Book Award
Deadline: Postmark May 15 - July 1, 2008
Rain Mountain Press
(An imprint of Skidrow Penthouse)
Poetry Chapbook Contest
Deadline: July 1, 2008
University of Michigan Press
Michigan Literary Fiction Awards
For authors who have previously published at least one literary novel or story collection in English.
Deadline: February 1 - July 1
Pearl
Poetry Prize
Book Publication
Deadline: Postmark May 1 - July 15 (annual)
Texas Review Press
X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize
Deadline: July 15 (annual)
*Year dates on site not accurate, but via e-mail correspondence, I was assured TPR contests are still active.
Keyhole
Poetry Chapbook Contest
Deadline: July 30, 2008
Kore Press
First Book Award - Women Poets
Deadline: Postmark July 31, 2008
Rain Farm Press
First-time Novelist Contest
Deadline: July 31, 2008
August Deadline
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Camber
Press
Poetry Chapbook Contest
Deadline: Postmark August 15, 2008
Pavement Saw Press
Transcontinental Poetry Award
Deadline: Postmark June-August 15
Subito Press
University of Colorado
Poetry and Fiction Book Contests
Deadline: Postmark June 2 - August 15
Bedbug Press
The Rhea and Seymour Gorsline Poetry Competition
First Book Only
Deadline: Postmark April 15 - August 16, 2008
University of North Texas Press
Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Short Fiction
Deadline: Postmark July 1 - August 29, 2008
Chiasmus Press
Undoing the Novel—First Book Contest
Eligible fiction: innovative novels, anti-novels, novellas, graphic novels, short story collections, hybrids
Deadline: August 30, 2008
Black Lawrence Press
St. Lawrence Book Award
For first collection of poems or short stories
Deadline: Postmark August 31, 2008
September Deadline
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Texas Review Press
George Garrett Fiction Prize
Book of stories or short novel
Deadline: September 15 (annual)
The Journal
Ohio State University
Award in Poetry
Deadline: September Postmark (annual)
New Issues Poetry & Prose
Western Michigan University
The Green Rose Prize in Poetry
Deadline: May 1 - September 30, 2008
The Philip Levine Prize in Poetry
California State University, Fresno and
Anhinga Press
Judge: Dorianne Laux
Deadline: Postmark September 30, 2008
Pudding House Publications
Poetry Chapbook Contest
Deadline: September 30 (annual)
University of Iowa Press
Short Fiction Award & John Simmons Fiction Award
Deadline: Postmark August 1 - September 30 (annual)
University of Massachusetts Press
The Juniper Prize for Fiction
Novels, novellas, and collections of stories
Deadline: Postmark August 1 - September 30, 2008
University of Massachusetts Press
The Juniper Prize for Poetry
Deadline: Postmark August 1 - September 30, 2008
October Deadline
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Alice James Books
Kinereth Gensler Award - Poetry
Deadeline: Postmark October 1, 2008
C&R Press
2nd Annual De Novo Poetry Contest
Deadline: Postmark October 1, 2008
Cleveland State University
Ruthanne Wiley Memorial Novella Contest
Judge: Josip Novakovich
Deadline: April 1, 2008 and October 1, 2008
Switchback Books
The Gatewood Prize
Judge: Denise Duhamel
Deadline: Postmark October 1, 2008
For a first full-length collection of poems by a woman between the ages of 18 and 39 writing in English.
University of Wisconsin Press
Brittingham and Pollak Poetry Prize
Deadline: Postmark Sept 1 - 30 (Received Sept 1 - Oct 1)
Texas Review Press
Clay Reynolds Novella Prize
Deadline: October 15 (annual)
Three Candles Press
First Book Award - Poetry
Deadline: Postmark October 15 (annual)
Sunken Garden Poetry Chapbook Contest
Published with Tupelo Press
Deadline: Postmark Aug 15 - Oct 15, 2008
Quercus Review
Poetry Series Book Award
Deadline: Postmark October 17, 2008
Black Lawrence Press
Black River Poetry Chapbook Contest
Deadline: October 31 and May 31 (annual)
Truman State University Press
T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry
Deadline: Postmark October 31 (annual)
University of Arkansas Press
Miller Williams Poetry Prize
Deadline: Postmark September - October 2008
Wings Press
Whitebird Chapbook Series Poetry Contest
Deadline: September 1 - October 31 (annual)
November Deadline
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Codhill Press
Poetry Chapbook Contest
Deadline: Postmark November 14, 2008
Nightboat Books
Poetry Prize
Deadline: Postmark November 15, 2008
University of North Texas Press
Vassar Miller Prize in Poetry
Deadline: Postmark November 15, 2008
Perugia Press
Intro Award for a First or Second Book of Poetry by a Woman
Deadline: August 1 - November 15 (annual)
Bear Star Press
Dorothy Brunsman Poetry Prize
For writers living west of the central time zone.
Deadline: Postmark September - November 30 (annual)
BOA Editions
A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize
For a poet's first book
Deadline: Postmark August 1 - November 30, 2008
Cider Press Review
Book Award for Poetry Manuscript
Deadline: Postmark September 1 - November 30
New Issues Poetry & Prose
Western Michigan University
The New Issues Poetry Prize for a first book of poems
Deadline: Postmark November 30, 2008
White Pine Press
Poetry Prize Competition
Deadline: July 1 - Postmark November 30 (annual)
December Deadline
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Flume Press
Poetry Chapbook Contest
Deadline: December 1 (annual)
(Fiction/Poetry in alternating years.)
Rose Metal Press
Short Short Stories Chapbook Contest
Deadline: October 15 - December 1
Slipstream
Poetry Contest
Book Publication
Deadline: December 1 (annual)
University of Evansville Press
The Richard Wilbur Award for Poetry
Deadline: Postmark December 1, 2008
Burnside Review
Fiction Chapbook Contest
Deadline: Postmark September 15 - December 31 (annual)
Poetica Magazine
First Annual Chapbook Contest
Judge: Jane Ellen Glasser
Deadline: September 1 - December 31, 2008
The Tampa Review
Prize for Poetry
Deadline: Postmark December 31 (annual)
January Deadline
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The Ohio State University Press
Prize in Short Fiction
Deadline: January Postmark (annual)
Main Street Rag
Annual Poetry Book Award
Deadline: Postmark January 31 (annual)
February Deadline
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Sarabande Books
The Kathryn A. Morton Prize in Poetry
The Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction
Deadline: Postmark Jan 1 - Feb 15 (annual)
March Deadline
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Apprentice House
Loyola University
Chapbook Contest
Deadline: Postmark March 14 (annual)
University of Utah Press
Agha Shahid Ali Prize in Poetry
Deadline: Postmark February 1 - March 31 (annual)
April Deadline
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Saturnalia Books
Poetry Prize
Deadline: Postmark April only (annual)
University of Iowa Press
Iowa Poetry Prize
Deadline: Postmark during the month of April
University of Pittsburgh Press
Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize Competition
Deadline: Postmark March - April
Awards for Published Works
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Arc Poetry Society
Lampman-Scott Award for Poetry
For an outstanding book of English-language poetry by an author living in the National Capital Region, Canada, published between January and December 2007.
Deadline: Postmark January 31, 2008.
Elysian Fields Quarterly
The Dave Moore Award
For "the most important work of literature on baseball from the previous year."
Deadline: November 15, 2007
Paterson Literary Review
Passaic County Community College
Paterson Poetry Prize
For a book of poems published in 2006 must be 48 pages or more and have a print run of 500 copies or more Deadline: February 1, 2008
Paterson Prize for Books for Young People
For a book published in 2006 for following categories Pre-K - Grade 3; Grades 4 - 6; Grades 7 - 12
Deadline: March 15, 2008
Paterson Fiction Prize
For a novel or collection of short fiction published in 2006 Deadline: April 1, 2008
Shenandoah
The Glasgow Prize for Emerging Writers
For writers of poetry with only one published book in that genre.
Deadline: March 15 - March 31
(2008 - Creative Nonfiction; 2009 - Short Stories; 2010 - Poetry)
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Grassroots Undergrad Lit Mag
Devil's Kitchen Reading Awards
Deadline: Postmarked Dec 1, 2007 - Feb 1, 2008
The University of Pittsburgh Press
Drue Heinz Literature Prize
For writers of short fiction and makes their work available to readers around the world. Open to writers who have published a book-length collection of fiction or at least three short stories or novellas in commercial magazines or literary journals.
Deadline: Postmark May - June