Discover writing and book contests from literary magazines, independent publishers, university presses, creative writing programs, and more.
Deadline: May 16, 2022
Carve Magazine’s 2022 Raymond Carver Short Story Contest is open through May 16. Accepting submissions from all over the world. Max 10,000 words. Prizes: $2,000, $500, $250, + 2 Editor’s Choice $125 each. All 5 winners will be published in the Fall 2022 issue and reviewed by lit agencies. Entry fee $17 online. Guest judge Dariel Suarez. Guidelines and instructions: www.carvezine.com/raymond-carver-contest/.
Deadline: June 13, 2022
The MFA in Creative and Professional Writing at Western Connecticut State University is now accepting all books published in 2021 for the 2022 Housatonic Book Awards. Open to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young adult/middle grade. Winners receive $1,500 and an invitation to our summer or winter residency. See our website for past winners and submission details.
View the full April 2022 eLitPak Newsletter.
Deadline: May 31, 2022
Now in its ninth year, this $4,000 international prize has been instrumental in launching the careers of novelists such as The Girl With The Louding Voice author Abi Dare and new James Bond author Kim Sherwood. A $2,300 longlist prize is co-sponsored by Cornerstones Literary Consultancy and Professional Writing Academy. Open to unpublished and indie published novelists worldwide. Enter here.
View the full April 2022 eLitPak Newsletter.
Deadline: July 1, 2022
The annual Bellevue Literary Review Prizes award outstanding writing related to themes of health, healing, illness, the mind, and the body. Winners are published in the spring issue of BLR. For each genre, first prize is $1000 and honorable mention is $250. Submit your best poetry, fiction and nonfiction through July 1. View website.
View the full April 2022 eLitPak Newsletter.
Deadline: May 1, 2022
december Magazine seeks submissions for our 2022 Curt Johnson Prose Awards in fiction and creative nonfiction. Prizes each genre — $1,500 & publication (winner); $500 & publication (honorable mention). All finalists will be listed in the 2022 Fall/Winter awards issue. $20 entry fee includes a copy of the awards issue. Submit 1 story or essay up to 8,000 words by May 1. Complete guidelines at our website.
View the full April 2022 eLitPak Newsletter.
$2,000 in prizes. From March 1 to May 31, Flying South 2022 will be accepting entries for prizes in Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry. Best in Category winners will be published and receive $500 each. The WSW President’s award winner will win an additional $500. All entries will be considered for publication. For full details, please visit our website.
View the full April 2022 eLitPak Newsletter.
Deadline: May 16, 2022
Carve Magazine’s Raymond Carver Short Story Contest is open April 1 – May 16. Accepting submissions from all over the world. Max 10,000 words. Prizes: $2,000, $500, $250, + 2 Editor’s Choice $125 each. All 5 winners published in Fall 2022 issue and reviewed by lit agencies. Entry fee $17 online. Guest judge Dariel Suarez. Guidelines and instructions: at our website.
View the full April 2022 eLitPak Newsletter.
Deadline: April 15, 2022
The Magpie Award for Poetry is for previously unpublished poems up to 100 lines in length. Poetry that relies on visual structure is eligible for prize money but may be excluded from publication if the formatting is difficult to reproduce. $500 prize. Entrants receive a 1-year digital subscription to Pulp Literature. Fee: $25 1st poem, $10 each subsequent poem. Deadline: April 15, 2022. View website.
Deadline: May 15, 2022
The Cow Creek Chapbook Prize is a poetry chapbook contest brought to you by Pittsburg State University. We’re open to all styles and subjects. As long as the poems challenge and capture the imagination, we want to see them. Submit a manuscript of 15 to 30 pages by May 15 at www.cowcreekchapbook.org. This year’s guest judge is Chen Chen.
Deadline: June 15, 2022 (postmark)
Don’t forget Swan Scythe Press’ 2022 poetry chapbook contest is currently accepting entries. $18 fee. We are accepting submissions of unpublished poetry collections through June 15 (postmark deadline). Winner receives $200, publication, and 25 perfect-bound chapbooks. The 2021 winner was Rae Gouirand for Little Hour. For full submission guidelines, visit www.swanscythepress.com.
Deadline: May 1, 2022
december seeks submissions for our 2022 Curt Johnson Prose Awards in fiction and creative nonfiction. Prizes each genre—$1,500 & publication (winner); $500 & publication (honorable mention). All finalists will be listed in the 2022 Fall/Winter awards issue. The $20 entry fee includes a copy of the awards issue. Submit one story or essay up to 8,000 words deadline May 1. Complete guidelines at our website.
Deadline: July 31, 2022
RED WHEELBARROW POETRY PRIZE 2022: Judged by Juan Felipe Herrera! $1,000 for first place and a letterpress broadside printed by Felicia Rice of Moving Parts Press, $500 for second, $250 for third. Top five published in Red Wheelbarrow Literary Magazine. Submit up to 3 original, unpublished poems. $15 entry fee. Deadline: July 31, 2022. For complete guidelines, see redwheelbarrow.submittable.com/submit.
Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction Contest: $2,000 Prizes
$2,000 in prizes. From March 1 to May 31, Flying South 2022, a publication of Winston Salem Writers, will be accepting entries for prizes in Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry. Best in Category winners will be published and receive $500 each. One of the three winners will receive The WSW President’s Favorite award and win an additional $500. All entries will be considered for publication. For full details, please visit our website: www.wswriters.org/flying-south.
Deadline: April 30, 2022
30th year, sponsored by Winning Writers, co-sponsored by Duotrope, and recommended by Reedsy. Submit published or unpublished work online to win $3,000 for the best story and $3,000 for the best essay. Ten Honorable Mentions will receive $200 each. Length limit: 6,000 words. Entry fee: $20. Top 12 entries published online. Judge: Mina Manchester. Learn more at winningwriters.com/tomstorynp22.
december seeks submissions for our 2022 Curt Johnson Prose Awards in fiction and creative nonfiction. Prizes each genre — $1,500 & publication (winner); $500 & publication (honorable mention). All finalists will be listed in the 2022 Fall/Winter awards issue. $20 entry fee includes a copy of the awards issue. Submit 1 story or essay up to 8,000 words deadline May 1. Complete guidelines at our website.
$2,000 in prizes. From March 1 to May 31, Flying South 2022 will be accepting entries for prizes in Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry. Best in Category winners will be published and receive $500 each. The WSW President’s award winner will win an additional $500. All entries will be considered for publication. For full details, please visit our website.
Deadline: June 1, 2022
Midway Journal‘s -1000 Below: Flash Prose and Poetry Contest is open! $500 first prize and publication in Midway, $250 second prize and publication in Midway; $50 third prize and publication in Midway. $10 entry. Unlimited entries. Judge: Kim Chinquee. For complete guidelines visit website.
The 16th Annual National Indie Excellence® Awards (NIEA) are open to all English language printed books available for sale, including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors. NIEA is proud to be a champion of self-publishing and small independent presses going the extra mile to produce books of excellence in every aspect. Visit website.
Deadline: April 30, 2022
30th year. Submit stories and essays to Winning Writers’ 2022 contest to win $3,000 and online publication. Accepts published and unpublished work. Co-sponsored by Duotrope. Recommended by Reedsy. Judged by Mina Manchester. Winners announced on October 15. View flyer and visit their website.
Deadline: June 15, 2022
Swan Scythe Press announces its 2022 poetry chapbook contest. Entry fee: $18. We are accepting submissions from March 1 to June 15 (postmark deadline). Winner receives $200 and 25 perfect-bound chapbooks. The 2021 winner is Rae Gouirand for Little Hour. For full submission guidelines, visit www.swanscythepress.com.
Deadlines: March 15, 2022; March 31, 2022
2022 Able Muse Contests :: Submit now! Write Prize (poetry & fiction): $500 each + publication. Final Judges: Aaron Poochigian (poetry), Dennis Must (fiction); $15 entry; deadline: March 15, 2022. Book Award (poetry): $1,000 + book publication. Final Judge: Rachel Hadas; $25 entry; deadline: March 31, 2022. Enter now—go to www.ablemusepress.com for full details.
Deadline: April 1, 2022
Submit one humor poem up to 250 lines to win $2,000. Second prize: $500. 10 Honorable Mentions: $100 each. Top 12 poems published online. 21st annual contest sponsored by Winning Writers and co-sponsored by Duotrope. No fee to enter. Accepts published and unpublished work. Judge: Jendi Reiter, assisted by Lauren Singer. This contest is recommended by Reedsy. Learn more and submit at winningwriters.com/werglenp22.
It’s a new month and if you are interested in submitting your work to writing contests in March, NewPages has you covered.
Besides the contests featured in our Classifieds, you can find even more opportunities by checking out our Big List of Writing Contests where we feature more than 60 contests with deadlines this month alone. All contests are arranged by deadline date. You’ll also be able to see what genres they are accepting and if they charge a fee.
Enjoy magazine contests, contests for published works, and book manuscript contests.
So what are you waiting for? Time to jump in.
Deadline: March 14, 2022
$2,500 honorarium and publication in the Fall/Winter issue of Colorado Review: Submit an unpublished story between 2,500 and 12,500 words by March 14, 2022 (we will observe a 5-day grace period). $15 reading fee (add $2 to submit online). Final judge is Ramona Ausubel; friends and students (current or former) of the judge are not eligible to compete, nor are Colorado State University employees, students, or alumni. Complete guidelines at nelliganprize.colostate.edu or Nelligan Prize, Colorado Review, 9105 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-9105.
February is officially over with after Monday. It doesn’t seem possible. Don’t let the shortest month of the year deter your writing goals! Check out all the submission opportunities featured on NewPages this past week while enjoying our new virtual duds. Don’t forget newsletter subscribers get early access to these opportunities and to our monthly eLitPak, so subscribe today if you haven’t already.
Continue reading “Weekly Round-up of Calls & Contests :: February 26, 2022”
Deadline: March 31, 2022
$5,000 New American Voices Award: a post-publication book prize for immigrant writers, from Fall for the Book and the Institute for Immigration Research. Submissions open for fiction and creative nonfiction. Two finalists receive $1,000 each. Previous winners include Patricia Engel, Lysley Tenorio, Melissa Rivero, and Hernán Díaz. Submission Deadline: March 31. View the full guidelines: fallforthebook.org/newamericanvoices/.
Deadline: March 31, 2022
American Writers Review announces its 2022 Writing Contest. We welcome fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, and photography $250 prize. Please see our submission site for details.
Deadline: March 31, 2022
The 16th Annual National Indie Excellence® Awards (NIEA) are open to all English language printed books available for sale, including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors. NIEA is proud to be a champion of self-publishing and small independent presses going the extra mile to produce books of excellence in every aspect. Visit website
Deadline: April 1, 2022
21st year. Submit one humor poem to Winning Writers’ 2022 contest to win $2,000 and online publication. Accepts published and unpublished work. Co-sponsored by Duotrope. Recommended by Reedsy. Judged by Jendi Reiter and Lauren Singer. Winners announced on August 15. There is no entry fee. View website.
With February half over, how are your submissions goals going? Don’t let them wane. Check out the submission opportunities featured on NewPages this past week. Plus, stay tuned for the February eLitPak fliers being posted to the blog today! Don’t forget newsletter subscribers get early access to ads and eLitPaks, so subscribe today!
Continue reading “Weekly Round-up of Calls & Contests :: February 18, 2022”
Deadline: April 10 (April 24 Extended)
Open to un-agented writers worldwide, the FIRST PAGES PRIZE invites you to enter your First Five Pages (1,250 words) of a longer work of fiction or creative nonfiction. Five winners receive cash awards, a tailored edit and an agent consultation. Our 2022 prize judge is author Justin Torres. Entry fee is $20 ($35 Extended). Visit our website for more information: www.firstpagesprize.com.
Deadline: March 14, 2022
(+5-day grace period)
$2,500 honorarium and publication in the Fall/Winter issue of Colorado Review: Submit an unpublished story between 2,500 and 12,500 words by March 14, 2022 (we will observe a 5-day grace period). $15 reading fee (add $2 to submit online). Final judge is Ramona Ausubel; friends and students (current or former) of the judge are not eligible to compete, nor are Colorado State University employees, students, or alumni. Complete guidelines at nelliganprize.colostate.edu or Nelligan Prize, Colorado Review, 9105 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-9105.
Deadline: February 1, 2022
A prize of $5,000 and publication by SIR Press is awarded annually for a collection of poetry written in English. All entries are considered for publication. Michael Waters is the final judge. Entrants receive a one-year subscription to Southern Indiana Review. Visit website.
Deadline: March 31, 2022
The 16th Annual National Indie Excellence® Awards (NIEA) are open to all English language printed books available for sale, including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors. NIEA is proud to be a champion of self-publishing and small independent presses going the extra mile to produce books of excellence in every aspect. Visit website.
Extended Deadline: January 31, 2022
Submit soon to our In-House Short Fiction & Single Poem Contests! On the short fiction side, we’re proud to announce that we’ve upped the award to $500 for the winning story and $150 for all runners-up! Winners and runners-up also receive publication, an interview, and an illustration that will appear alongside their story. All stories submitted are considered for publication by not one—but two editors, and response times are faster than usual. On the poetry side, all works are also considered for publication, with the runners-up awarded an interview, publication, and $50 per poem. The winner of the In-House Poetry Contest will receive $400, publication, a featured interview, and a commissioned illustration to appear alongside their work.
NewPages maintains two guides where young readers and writers can find print and online literary magazines to read, places to publish their own works, and legitimate contests: Publications for Young Writers and Writing Contests for Young Writers. Both of these are ad-free resources regularly updated with carefully vetted content.
The Lions Club International Peace Essay Contest is one of those listed, and the 2020-2021 winning essay “Peace Through Service” by 13-year-old Australian Joshua Wood is a beautiful example of the kinds of writing these contests can inspire. He can be seen/heard reading his essay on the site here, and his essay is available to read online or download to print.
If you know young readers and writers in your life, or if you yourself enjoy writing for young readers, check out these guides today!
[Image: National Youth Foundation poster for the “I Matter Poetry Contest.”]
Deadline: April 15, 2022
No prompt or theme. No Entry Fee. Word limit: 500 words, excluding title. Submit entries via email. Prizes: $200 first prize, $100 second prize, $50 third prize. Shortlisted stories receive $20 and publication. Judge: Pamela Painter. Contest Rules: One entry per author. Send your entry pasted into the body of an email and also as a Word attachment with the story title in the subject line. Double-spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman. No name on entries. Submit an author bio in a separate attachment. Results announced June 30, 2022. View full guidelines here.
Extended Deadline: February 14, 2022
Submissions are now open for the 2022 New American Poetry Prize. Extended deadline: February 14, 2022. The winning author will receive a publication contract including $1,500, 25 copies, and promotional support. All forms and styles of poetry are welcome. Final judge this year is Eduardo C. Corral, author of Slow Lightning (2012), winner of the Yale Younger Poets Prize, and Guillotine (2020). Please use Submittable to send your work.
$1200 Prize Each! Fiction & Poetry Prize Deadlines Extended through 1/24/22!
Extended Deadline: January 24, 2022
Extended deadlines for the Acacia Fiction Prize and Saguaro Poetry Prize! Each winner receives $1,200 and publication + 20 copies. Fiction Judge is Gabino Iglesias. Poetry Judge is Wendy Barnes. Send us your polished manuscripts. See our website for full details.
Deadline: January 14, 2022
$2,500 honorarium and book publication: Submit book-length collection of poems to the Colorado Prize for Poetry by January 14, 2022 (we will observe a 5-day grace period). $25 reading fee (add $3 to submit online) includes subscription to Colorado Review. Final judge is Gillian Conoley; friends and students (current or former) of the judge are not eligible to compete, nor are Colorado State University employees, students, or alumni. Complete guidelines at coloradoprize.colostate.edu or Colorado Prize for Poetry, Center for Literary Publishing, 9105 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-9105.
Deadline: March 14, 2022
$2,500 honorarium and publication in the Fall/Winter issue of Colorado Review: Submit an unpublished story between 2,500 and 12,500 words by March 14, 2022 (we will observe a 5-day grace period). $15 reading fee (add $2 to submit online). Final judge is Ramona Ausubel; friends and students (current or former) of the judge are not eligible to compete, nor are Colorado State University employees, students, or alumni. Complete guidelines at nelliganprize.colostate.edu or Nelligan Prize, Colorado Review, 9105 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-9105.
Deadline: January 31, 2022
Ethos Literacy—a nonprofit literacy program—is still accepting entries to its 3rd Annual Short Short Story Contest. 100-word limit on one of these topics: chewing gum, horror movies, skyscrapers, or tubas. Cash prizes: Best in Contest: $250; Best Youth Prize (14 years or younger): $100; 4 Best of Category: $100; People’s Choice $100. Publication in a digital magazine + webcast of winners reading their stories. Submission fee: $10. Proceeds support literacy programs for teens and adults. Learn more at their website.
Deadline: January 15, 2022
Background: The contest is in honor of Emma Howell who was born in Portland, Oregon, and died in 2001, at the age of twenty. She left behind a single volume of poetry: Slim Night of Recognition. This prize is an effort to promote the publication of young poets, to honor Emma’s memory, as well as honor the time and effort her father, Christopher Howell, former Director of Willow Springs Books, has put into our press. Prize: $2,000 + manuscript publication. Eligibility: Poets 35 years old and younger who have not yet published a book-length poetry manuscript. Submit: bit.ly/3aE00R3.
Extended Deadline: January 15, 2022
MUSE is especially looking to publish work from under- or misrepresented groups, such as people of color, disabled people, LGBTQ+, present/formerly incarcerated people, and others from a culturally and linguistically diverse background. Deadline extended to January 15 for Spangler Award submissions. Submit up to three poems about a child or childhood, $5 fee payable by check or Venmo @rccmuse. Mail to RCC MUSE, Riverside City College, 4800 Magnolia Avenue, Riverside, CA 92506 or email. If emailing, send as attachment with “LastName – Spangler – Title” in the subject line (e.g., Smith – Spangler – “Summer”). Please include contact information. See full submission guidelines at rcc.edu/muse.
Extended Deadline: January 1, 2022
We’re still looking for manuscripts of at least 48 pages that engage the perilous conditions of life in the 21st century, as they pertain to issues of social justice and the earth. Because we believe the truth is always experimental, we’ll especially appreciate books with innovative approaches. Beginning in 2021 and going forward, Interim will be publishing two books in their Test Site Poetry series—one title publicized as the winner of the Test Site Poetry Series and the other as the Betsy Joiner Flanagan Award in Poetry. Both winners will receive $1,000 and publication by the University of Nevada Press. www.interimpoetics.org/test-site-poetry-series
Deadline: March 31, 2022
The 16th Annual National Indie Excellence® Awards (NIEA) are open to all English language printed books available for sale, including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors. NIEA is proud to be a champion of self-publishing and small independent presses going the extra mile to produce books of excellence in every aspect.
Deadline: February 1, 2022
Ann Kjellberg, judge. First prize $1,000, Second $500. Poems in English up to 60 lines, any subject, unpublished at submission. Enter via Submittable or mail c/o WB Yeats Society of NY, National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park South, NYC 10003. Enter name, contact information separately in Submittable entry form or separate card. Entry $15 for first, $12 each additional poem.
This year’s co-winners were Judy Juanita of Oakland, CA. and Schuyler Dickson of Houlka, MS. Their respective books will come out in June. Don’t forget the deadline for the new contest is December 31. Please see our website for full submission details and to see our forthcoming books, also. Credit cards accepted for all book purchases.
Deadline: January 15, 2021
The 2022 Rattle Chapbook Prize offers three winners $5,000 for a chapbook (up to 36 pages), plus 500 author copies, and distribution to Rattle’s 8,000+ subscribers. Entry fee of $25 includes a 1-year subscription to the magazine. For complete guidelines and to read past winners, visit our website: www.rattle.com/chapbooks.
Deadline: January 15, 2022
Submit soon to our In-House Short Fiction & Single Poem Contests! On the short fiction side, we’re proud to announce that we’ve upped the award to $500 for the winning story and $150 for all runners-up! Winners and runners-up also receive publication, an interview, and an illustration that will appear alongside their story. All stories submitted are considered for publication by not one—but two editors, and response times are faster than usual. On the poetry side, all works are also considered for publication, with the runner-ups awarded an interview, publication, and $50 per poem. The winner of the In-House Poetry Contest will receive $400, publication, a featured interview, and a commissioned illustration to appear alongside their work.
