Big List of Writing Contests
NewPages Big List of Writing Contests
The Big List of Writing Contests features a comprehensive list of magazine contests, book contests, chapbook contests, writing contests, audio contests, video contests, and competitions from independent publishers, literary magazines, alternative magazines, creative writing programs, and writing conferences and festivals. Currently we list contests that writers themselves can enter. We do not list contests in which a third party or publisher must enter on a writer’s behalf.
If you are interested in contests for young writers, check out our Young Writers Guide to Contests. You can view more information about currently open contests here. Interested in listing your writing or book contest with NewPages? Please review our FAQ and contact us.
Please note: NewPages does our best to vet these contests and organizations and provide a thorough list of reputable opportunities for writers. If you have any concerns about a contest listed here, please contact us.
These contests are organized alphabetically by upcoming deadlines.
January February March April May June July August September October November December Special Deadlines
November
African Poetry Book Fund. Evaristo Prize for African Poetry (formerly Brunel International African Poetry Prize). Poetry. No Fee. 11/1
Charlotte Center for Literary Arts. Lit/South Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/1
Contemporary Verse 2. The Foster Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/1
The Ex-Puritan. Austin Clarke Prize in Literary Excellence. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/1
FC2. Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Contest/Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/1
Foglifter Press. Start A Riot! Chapbook Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 11/1
The Kenyon Review. Developmental Editing Fellowship for Emerging Writers. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee (No Fee for hardship available). 11/1
The Malahat Review. Open Season Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/1
MAYDAY Magazine. MAYDAY Prizes in Fiction, Poetry, & Nonfiction. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/1
North American Review. James Hearst Poetry Prize; Kurt Vonnegut Fiction Prize. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/1
Quarterly West. Poetry & Prose Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 11/1 (poetry, prose closes after 500 submissions received)
Reed. Annual Prizes. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Art. Entry Fee. 11/1
Southeast Missouri State University Press. Cowles Poetry Book Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/1 [odd-numbered years]
Southeast Missouri State University Press. Nilsen Literary Prize for a First Novel. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/1 [even-numbered years]
Washington Writers’ Publishing House. Jean Feldman Poetry Prize; Washington Writer’s Publishing House Fiction Prize; Washington Writers’ Publishing House Creative Nonfiction Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/1
The Writer’s Center. Compass Fellowship. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Screenplays No Fee. 11/1
Conduit Books & Ephemera. Minds on Fire Open Book Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/3
F(r)iction. F(r)iction Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/3
Cave Canem. Derricotte/Eady Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 11/5
Weird Christmas. Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. No Fee. 11/6
SmokeLong Quarterly. Grand Micro Competition. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 11/10 [odd-numbered years]
The Masters Review. Novel Excerpt Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/12
Oroboro. Penrose Poetry Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 11/12
Cutthroat. Annual Writing Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15
Harpur Palate. Milton Kessler Memorial Prize for Poetry/Prize for Creative Nonfiction. Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15
Nightboat Books. Nightboat Poetry Prize. Poetry Entry Fee. 11/15
Perugia Press. Perugia Press Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15
Philadelphia Stories. Philadelphia Stories’ National Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15
SmokeLong Quarterly. Award for Flash Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/15 [even-numbered years]
The Story Prize. Book Award. Fiction. Entry fee. 11/15
Terrain.org. Sowell Emerging Writers Prize. Nonfiction, Poetry, Fiction (genres rotate). Entry Fee. 11/15
Washington Center for the Book. Washington State Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Children’s Literature, YA Literature. No Fee. 11/15
Washington Square Review. Fall New Voices Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15
West Chester University Poetry Center. Donald Justice Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15
Yale University Press. Yale Series of Younger Poets. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15
Briarpatch. Writing in the Margins. Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/20
PRISM International. Pacific Spirit Poetry Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/23
Anthology. Travel Writing Competition. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 11/30
Autumn House Press. Rising Writer Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30
Baltimore Review. Winter Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30
Bath Children’s Novel Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/30
Beloit Poetry Journal. Chad Walsh Chapbook Series. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30
BOA Editions. A. Poulin Jr. Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30
Cider Press Review. Book Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30
Fish Publishing. Short Story Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/30
The Kenyon Review. Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30
LitMag. Anton Chekhov Award for Flash Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/30
Munster Literature Center. Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30
Narrative Magazine. Fall Story Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 11/30
Narratively. Memoir Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 11/30
New Millennium Writings. Annual Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30
The Plaza Prizes. Short Story Prize, Sudden Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/30
Prairie Fire. Annual Writing Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30
Prism Review. Poetry & Short Story Contests. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30
Quarter After Eight. Robert J. DeMott Short Prose Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 11/30
Quill. Queer Prose Award. Entry Fee. 11/30
The Southeast Review. Art Award, Gearhart Poetry Contest, Ned Stuckey-French Nonfiction Contest, World’s Best Short-Short Story Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Art. Entry Fee. 11/30
Uncharted Magazine. Historical Fiction Challenge. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/30
University of Georgia Press. Georgia Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30 (Paused for 2023 submission year)
University of North Texas. Rilke Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 11/30
Upper New Review. Essay Contest: A Sense of Place. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 11/30
WOW! Women On Writing. Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/30
December
African Poetry Book Fund. Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets. Poetry. No Fee. 12/1
Agnes Scott College Writers’ Festival. Steven R. Guthrie Memorial Writers’ Festival Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Screenplay. No Fee. 12/1
American Library Association. Schneider Family Book Awards. Children’s/YA Fiction, Children’s/YA Nonfiction. No fee. 12/1
Breakwater Review. Breakwater Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/1
december. Marvin Bell Memorial Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/1
The Fiddlehead. Ralph Gustafson Prize for Best Poem. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/1
Five Points. James Dickey Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/1
The Langum Foundation. David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction. Fiction. No Fee. 12/1
Morehead State University. Thomas & Lille D. Chaffin Award. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. No Fee. 12/1
Poetry International. C.P. Cavafy Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/1
Reed. Mary Blair Award for Art. Art. Entry Fee. 12/1
Regal House Publishing. W.S. Porter Prize for Short Story Collections. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/1
Room. Short Forms Contest. Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/1
Slipstream. Poetry Chapbook Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/1
Smith College. Poetry Prize for High School Girls in New England. Poetry. No Fee. 12/1
Waywiser Press. Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize. Poetry. 12/1
The Writing Salon. Jane Underwood Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/1
Mslexia. Poetry Competitions (Pamphlet). Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/4
Mslexia. Poetry Competitions (Single Poem). Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/4
University of Central Oklahoma. Everett Southwest Literary Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/5 [even-numbered years]
Columbia Journalism School. J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize, Mark Lynton History Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/7
Columbia Journalism School. J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Awards. Nonfiction. No Fee. 12/7
Jewish Book Council. Writer’s Residency Contest with The Betsy Writers Room. Nonfiction. No Fee. 12/7
Coffee-House Poetry. Troubadour Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/10
Friends of American Writers Chicago. Literature Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction. No Fee. 12/10
Backbone Press. Haiku Chapbook Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/15
Center for Book Arts. Poetry Chapbook Contest. Poetry. No Fee. 12/15
Chautauqua Institution. Chautauqua Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/15
Fourteen Hills. Gina Berriault Award. Prose. Entry Fee. 12/15
Gival Press. Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/15 [odd-numbered years]
Interim. Test Site Poetry Series. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/15
Longleaf Press. Book Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/15
MUSE Literary Journal. Holden Vaughn Spangler Memorial Award for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/15
The Newberry. Historical Fiction Writing Artist-in-Residence Fellowship. Fiction, drama, poetry. No Fee. 12/15
The Outpost Foundation. Outpost Residency for Creative Writers of Color. No Fee. 12/15
Story. Story Foundation Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/15
Willamette Writers. Kay Snow Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Screenplays. Entry Fee. 12/15
The Masters Review. Chapbook Open. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/17
PRISM International. Jacob Zilber Prize for Short Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/20
Toasted Cheese. Dead of Winter. Fiction. No Fee. 12/21
Codhill Press. Pauline Uchmanowicz Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/30
The Twin Bill. E. Ethelbert Miller Poetry Prize, Sidd Finch Fiction Prize, Jackie Mitchell Creative Nonfiction Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/30
Virginia Commonwealth University. Cabell First Novelist Award. Fiction. No Fee. 12/30
American Library Association. W.Y Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction. Fiction. No Fee. 12/31
Baton Rouge Area Foundation. Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. Fiction. No Fee. 12/31
Burnside Review Press. Book Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31
Cleveland Foundation. Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. No Fee. 12/31
Columbus State University/DLJ Books. Donald L. Jordan Prize for Literary Excellence. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/31
Do Wha(TS) Write. Creative Writing Contest. Flash Fiction, Short Stories. Entry Fee. 12/31
Fonograf Editions. Open Genre Book Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 12/31
The Glencairn Glass. Crime Short Story Competition. Fiction. No Fee. 12/31
The Headlight Review. Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31
Hub City Press. C. Michael Curtis Short Story Book Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/31 [odd-numbered years]
The Kenyon Review. The Short Nonfiction Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/31
Kinsman Quarterly. The Iridescence Award. Fiction, Poetry. No Fee. 12/31
The Lascaux Review. Lascaux Prize in Short Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/31
Letter Review. The Letter Review Prize. Short Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Unpublished Books, Reprints. Entry Fee. 12/31
Lilith. Annual Fiction Contest. Fiction. No Fee. 12/31
LitMag. Virginia Woolf Award for Short Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/31
Livingston Press. Tartts Fiction Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/31
The Lyric. College Poetry Contest. Poetry. No Fee. 12/31
Memoir Magazine. The Memoir Prize for Books. Memoir, Creative Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/31
Ohio University Press/Swallow Press. Hollis Summers Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31
Poetry by the Sea. The Kim Bridgford Memorial Sonnet Contest. Poetry. Entry fee. 12/31
Poetry Society of America. Annual Awards, Four Quartets Prize, Chapbook Fellowships. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31
Press 53. Award for Short Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/31
The Society of Classical Poets. International Poetry Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31
Tampa Review. Danahy Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/31
Tampa Review. Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31
Third Coast. Fiction Contest, Poetry Contest. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31
Tofu Ink. Art Prize. Entry Fee. 12/31
Tofu Ink. Poetry Chapbook Prize. Entry Fee. 12/31
Tupelo Press. Dorset Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31
Two Sylvias Press. Wilder Series Poetry Book Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31
January
3 Mile Harbor Press. Poetry Book Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/1
Bayou. James Knudsen Prize for Fiction/Kay Murphy Prize for Poetry. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/1
Defenestrationsim.net. Lengthy Poem Contest. Poetry. No Fee. 1/1
Mississippi Review. Mississippi Review Prize. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/1
Smartish Pace. Beullah Rose Poetry Prize, Erskine J. Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/1
North Carolina Writers’ Network. Jacob/Jones African-American Literary Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/2
Gemini Magazine. Poetry Open. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/2
DISQUIET. DISQUIET Literary Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/5
The Florida Review. Jeanne Leiby Memorial Chapbook Award. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/7
Button Poetry. Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/8
Washington-Centerville Public Library. Erma Bombeck Writing Competition. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/8 [even-numbered years]
92Y. Discovery Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/12
French-American Foundation. Translation Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. No Fee. 1/12
Northern California Book Reviewers. Northern California Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translation, Children’s Literature. No Fee. 1/12
Colorado Review. Colorado Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/14 (+5-day grace period)
CRAFT. Memoir Excerpt & Essay Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/14
Garden Party Collective. Garden Party Chapbook Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-genre. No Fee. 1/14
Driftwood Press. In-House Short Story Contest; In-House Poem Contest. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/15
New American Press. New American Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee.1/15
North Carolina Writers’ Network. Rose Post Creative Nonfiction Competition. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/15
Palette Poetry. Previously Published Poem Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/15
Passager. Henry Morgenthau III First Book Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/15 [even-numbered years]
Poetry Society of Virginia. North American Book Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/15
Rattle. Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/15
Red Hen Press. Cai Emmons Fiction Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/15
SFWP. Literary Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/15
Viriginia Commonwealth University English Department. Levis Reading Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 1/15
Writers’ Trust of Canada. RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers. Fiction, Poetry. No fee. 1/16
The Madison Review. Phylis Smart-Young Prize in Poetry, Chris O’Malley Prize in Fiction. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/22
Washington Center for the Book. Washington State Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Children’s Literature, YA Literature. No Fee. 1/19
Hurston/Wright Foundation. Legacy Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Creative Writing Anthology, Nonfiction Anthology. Entry Fee. 1/21
Australian Book Review. The Calibre Essay Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/22
Zócalo Public Square. Poetry Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 1/22
The Masters Review. Winter Short Story Award for New Writers. Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/28
Etchings Press. Book Prizes. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/30
North Carolina Writers’ Network. Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/30
Black Lawrence Press. The Big Moose Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/31
Fish Publishing. Short Memoir Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/31
Flash Frog. The Blue Frog. Flash Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/31
The Ghost Story. Screw Turn Flash Fiction Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/31
Graysons Books. Poetry Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/31
Haiku Poets of Northern California. San Francisco International Rengay Contest. Rengay. Entry Fee. 1/31
Inlandia Books. Eliud Martinez Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/31
The Iowa Review. The Iowa Review Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/31
Kenyon Review. Short Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/31
Magma Poetry. Magma Poetry Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/31
Oxford Flash Fiction Prize. Winter Flash Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/31
The Plaza Prizes. Memoir: First Chapters Prize, Crime: First Chapters Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/31
Regal House Publishing. Terry J. Cox Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/31
Stanford Libraries. William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/31 [even-numbered years]
swamp pink (formerly Crazyhorse). swamp pink Prizes. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/31
WOW! Women on Writing. Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/31
February
American Short Fiction. American Short(er) Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/1
Anhinga Press. Rick Campbell Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/1
Arc Poetry Magazine. Poem of the Year Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/1
CutBank. Montana Prizes/Patricia Goedicke Prize in Poetry. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/1
Deep Wild Journal. Graduate Student Poetry Contest. Poetry. No Fee. 2/1
The Malahat Review. Long Poem Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/1 [odd-numbered years]
The Malahat Review. Novella Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/1 [even-numbered years]
New England Romance Writers. New England Readers Choice Award. Fiction, Feminism, LGBT. Entry Fee. 2/1
Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College. Allen Ginsberg Poetry Awards. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/1
Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College. Paterson Poetry Prize, Paterson Prize for Books for Young People. Poetry, Writing for Children & Young Adults. No Fee. 2/1
Slippery Elm Literary Journal. Slippery Elm Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/1
Soundings East. Claire Keyes Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/1
Southern Indiana Review. Michael Waters Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/1
WB Yeats Society of NY. Yeats Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/1
Writing Battle. Winter Battle. Flash Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/1 (registration); 2/3 (entry)
West Chester University Poetry Center. Wil Mills Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/5
Teachers & Writers. Bechtel Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 2/10
Morris Museum of Art. Porter Fleming Literary Competition. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama. Entry Fee. 2/13
Omnidawn Publishing. First/Second Book Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/13
Humber Literary Review. Emerging Writers Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/14 [even-numbered years]
The Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group. Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Writing for Young People. Entry Fee. 2/14
After Happy Hour. Print Issue Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 2/15
Airlie Press. Airlie Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/15
Arrowsmith Press. Derek Walcott Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/15
Center for Kansas Studies. Hefner Heitz Kansas Book Award. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry (genres alternate). No Fee. 2/15
Finishing Line Press. Open Chapbook Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/15
Furious Flower Poetry Center. Furious Flower Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/15
Georgia Writers Association. Georgia Author of the Year Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Children’s Books, Young Adult Books, Graphic Novels. Entry Fee. 2/15
Haiku Society of America. Merit Book Awards. Haiku. No Fee. 2/15
Pulp Literature. Bumblebee Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/15
Room. Cover Art Contest. Art. Entry Fee. 2/15
Sarabande Books. Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/15
Sarabande Books. Kathryn A. Morton Prize in Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/15
Third Wednesday. Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/15
Whitefish Review. Rick Bass/Montana Prize for Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/15
Huizache. Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 2/16 [even-numbered years]
West Chester University Poetry Center. Iris N. Spencer Poetry Award, Myong Chao Son Haiku Award, Rhina P. Espaillat Award, Sonnet Award, Villanelle Award. Poetry, Translations. No Fee. 2/16
Writers’ Union of Canada. Short Prose Competition for Emerging Writers. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 2/17
Subnivean. The Subnivean Awards. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/21
Wolfson Press. Wolfson Prose Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 2/21 [even-numbered years]
Free Flash Fiction. Flash Fiction Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/23
Bournemouth University. New Media Writing Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. No Fee. 2/24
Sustainable Arts Foundation. Individual Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Writing for Young People, Journalism, Graphic Novels, Art, Photography. Entry Fee. 2/24
After Hours. Mary Blinn Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28
AWP. Award Series. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28
Austin Community College. Balcones Literary Prizes. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28
CBC Books. CBC Nonfiction Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 2/28
Chautauqua Institution. Janus Prize for Emerging Writers. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 2/28
CRAFT. Hybrid Writing Contest. Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 2/28
Fish Publishing. Flash Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/28
Gotham Writers. The Great Gift Contest. Nonfiction. No Fee. 2/28
Graywolf Press. African Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/28 [odd-numbered years]
Graywolf Press. Nonfiction Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 2/28 [even-numbered years]
I-70 Review. Bill Hickok Humor Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28
James River Writers. Shann Palmer Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28 [triennial]
Letter Review. Prize for Flash Fiction, Prize for Poetry, Prize for Short Fiction. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28
Lunch Ticket. Diana Woods Memorial Award. Nonfiction. No Fee. 2/28
Lunch Ticket. Gabo Prize for Lit in Translation & Multi-Lingual Texts. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translations. No Fee. 2/28
The New Quarterly. Nick Blatchford Occasional Verse Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28
Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop. International Writing Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre, Reviews. No Fee (members); Entry Fee (non-members). 2/28
Open Minds Quarterly. BrainStorm Poetry Contest. Entry Fee. 2/28
Red Hen Press. Women’s Prose Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 2/28 [even-numbered years]
Scottish Arts Club. Short Story Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/28
Sweet. Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28
Tupelo Press. Snowbound Chapbook Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28
WOW! Women On Writing. Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/28
Cloudbank. Cloudbank Prize. Poetry, Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/29
Blue Mesa Review. Spring Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/29
The Plaza Prizes. Poetry Prize (60 Lines). Entry Fee. 2/29
March
Academy of American Poets. Raiziss/de Palchi Translation Awards. Translations. No Fee. 3/1
The Alpine Fellowship. Writing Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. No Fee. 3/1
The Gertrude Conference. The Gertie Award. Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Screenwriting. No Fee. 3/1
Gutsy Great Novelist. Chapter One Prize for Novelists. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/1
North Carolina Literary Review. Alex Albright Creative Nonfiction Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 3/1
North Carolina Writers’ Network. Randall Jarrell Poetry Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/1
Searchlight Writing for Children Awards. Best Children’s Illustrated Picture Book. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/1
Writer Advice. Flash Memoir Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 3/2
Exposition Review. Flash 405. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Screenplay, Experimental. Entry Fee. 3/5
Wolfson Press. Wolfson Poetry Chapbook Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/6 [odd-numbered years]
Gotham Writers Workshop. Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/10
Uncharted Magazine. Novel Excerpt Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/10
Stockholm Writers Festival. First 5 Pages Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/12
Modern Haiku. Robert Spiess Memorial Award Haiku Competition. Poetry. No Fee. 3/13
Able Muse. Write Prize. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15
Alice Munro Festival. Literary Short Story Competition for Emerging Writers. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/15
Bellingham Review. Annual Literary Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15
Fourth Genre. Multimedia Essay Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 3/15
Fourth Genre. Steinberg Essay Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 3/15
Iron Horse Literary Review. Chapbook Competition. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15 (genres alternate)
Jabberwock Review. Nancy D. Hargrove Editors’ Prize. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15
James River Writers. Best Self-Published Novel Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/15 [triennial]
James River Writers. Best Unpublished Novel Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/15 [triennial]
The Journal. The Non/Fiction Collection Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 3/15
Missouri Review. Perkoff Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15
National Poetry Series. Open Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15
Newfound. Newfound Prose Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 3/15
Persea Books. Lexi Rudnitsky/Editor’s Choice Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15
Phoebe. Annual Writing Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15
The Poetry Box. Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15
Prairie Schooner. Raz-Shumaker Prairie Schooner Book Prize Contest. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15
Robinson Jeffers Tor House Foundation. Tor House Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15
Trio House Press. Louise Bogan Award, Trio Award for First or Second Book. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15
West Trade Review. Phyllis Grant Zellmer Prize for Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/15
Wilkes University. James Jones First Novel Fellowship. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/15
Word Works. Washington Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15
Verse. Tomaž Šalamun Prize. Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 3/15
Another Chicago Magazine. ACM Residency at Shannaghe. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 3/17 (or until limit reached)
North Dakota State University Press. Poetry of the Plains and Prairies Award. Poetry. No Fee. 3/17
Intrepid Times. Romance on the Road Travel Writing Competition. Nonfiction. No Fee. 3/19
Toasted Cheese. The Mollie Savage Mystery Writing Contest. Fiction. No Fee. 3/17 – 3/19
Yalobusha Review. Yellowwood Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/20
The Poetry School. Ginkgo Prize. Ecopoetry. Entry Fee. 3/25
The New Quarterly. Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 3/28
The Dawn Review. Dawn Prize for Poetry. Poetry. No Fee. 3/30
Pacific Northwest Writers’ Association. Literary Contest for Unpublished Work. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Writing for Young People. Entry Fee. 3/30
Able Muse. Book Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31
Arts & Letters. Arts & Letters Prizes. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama. Entry Fee. 3/31
Banipal Trust for Arab Literature (UK). Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation. Translations. No Fee. 3/31
Black Lawrence Press. The Hudson Prize. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31
Cleaver. Form and Form-Breaking Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31
Elixir Press. Antivenom Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31
Fish Publishing. Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31
Four Way Books. Levis Prize in Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31
Gemini Magazine. Short Story Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/31
Indiana Review. Creative Nonfiction Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 3/31
Indiana Review. Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31
Kansas City Public Library. Maya Angelou Book Award. Poetry. No Fee. 3/31
Kinsman Avenue Publishing. Presence Series. Novellas. Entry Fee. 3/31
The Lascaux Review. Lascaux Prize in Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31
Lily Poetry Review Books. Paul Menser Book Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31
The Masters Review. Spring Small Fiction Awards. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/31
Narrative Magazine. Winter Story Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/31
National Indie Excellence Awards. Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Drama, Screenplays, Cross-genre, Comics, Reviews, Interviews, Translations, Photography, Art. Entry Fee. 3/31
The Plaza Prizes. Flash Fiction Prize, Microfiction Prize, Prose Poetry Prize. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31
Plough Arts Center. Plough Prize. Open Poetry Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31
Prime Number. Magazine Awards. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31
A Public Space. Writing Fellowships. No Fee. 3/31
Red Hen Press. Ann Petry Award. No Fee. 3/31
Restless Books. Prize for New Immigrant Writing. Fiction, Nonfiction. No Fee. 3/31
The Robert Frost Farm. Frost Farm Prize for Metrical Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31
Rubery Book Award. International Rubery Book Award. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre, Drama, Art, Photography. Entry Fee. 3/31
The Sejong Cultural Society. Sejong Writing Competition. Sijo, Essay. No Fee. 3/31
Sleeping Bear Press. Own Voices, Own Stories Award. Children’s Picture Book. No Fee. 3/31
Sunspot Lit. Geminga Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Art. Entry Fee. 3/31
Texas Review Press. Clay Reynolds Novella Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/31
Texas Review Press. Robert Phillips Poetry Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31
April
Cheshire Novel Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/1
Fugue. Prose and Poetry Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/1
Grain Magazine. Short Grain Writing Contest. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/1
The Headlight Review. Anthony Grooms Prize in Short Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/1
Killer Nashville. Claymore Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/1
Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/1 (normal deadline); 4/15 (late deadline)
Nimrod. Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction/Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/1
North American Review. Terry Tempest Williams Prize for Creative Nonfiction. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/1
Orison Books. Orison Prize. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/1
Saturnalia Books. Poetry Prize & Alma Book Awards. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/1
Winning Writers. Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest. Poetry. No Fee. 4/1
Zone 3 Press. First Book Award for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/1 [even-numbered years]
Backbone Press. Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/2
Hurston/Wright Foundation. Hurston/Wright Award for College Writers. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/2
Thirty West Publishing House. Wavelengths Chapbook Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/2
Contemporary Verse 2. 2-Day Poem Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/10 (registration); 4/23 (submissions)
First Pages Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/10 (4/24 extended)
Narratively. Profile Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/14
Brilliant Flash Fiction. Brilliant Writing Contest. Fiction. No Fee. 4/15
Broad River Review. Rash Awards. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15
Dancing Poetry. Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15
The Florida Review. Editors’ Award. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15
Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park. Hemingway Shorts Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/15
New Ohio Review. New Ohio Review Prizes. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15
Passager. Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15
Passages North. Elinor Benedict Poetry Prize/Ray Ventre Nonfiction Prize. Poetry, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/15 [odd-numbered years]
Passages North. Waasnode Fiction Prize/Neutrino Short-Short Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 4/15 [even-numbered years]
PRISM International. The Grouse Grind Lit Prize for V. Short Forms. Fiction, Nonfiction, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 4/15
PULP Literature. Magpie Award for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15
Room. Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/15
Spoon River Poetry Review. SRPR Editors’ Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15
University of Arkansas Press. Etel Adnan Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15
University of Utah Press. Agha Shahid Ali Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15
Bacopa Literary Review. Annual Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. No Fee. 4/16
Desperate Literature. Short Story Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/16
Gulf Coast. Gulf Coast Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/16
Palette Poetry. The Rising Poet Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/16
Hub City Press. New Southern Voices Poetry Book Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/17 [even-numbered years]
Omnidawn Publishing. Single Poem Broadside Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/17
Catamaran Literary Reader. Catamaran Poetry Prize for West Coast Poets. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/20
Poetry by the Sea. Book Awards. Poetry. Entry fee. 4/21
Southeast Missouri State University Press. Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Photography. No Fee. 4/21
Australian Book Review. Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/24
Bristol Short Story Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/26
F(r)iction. Spring Literary Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/27
DIAGRAM. New Michigan Press/Diagram Chapbook Contest. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/28
The Ashland Poetry Press. Richard Snyder Memorial Publication Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30
Barrow Street Press. Prose Book Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/30
Beloit Poetry Journal. Adrienne Rich Award for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30
Clive Cussler Collector’s Society. Adventure Writers Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/30
CRAFT. Short Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/30
erbacce Journal. erbacce prize. Poetry. No Fee. 4/30
Foundlings Press. Ralph Angel Poetry Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 4/30
Freefall. Annual Prose & Poetry Contest. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30
Friends of Falun Gong. Poetry Competition. Poetry. No Fee. 4/30
The Ghost Story. Supernatural Fiction Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/30
Grist. Pro Forma Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 4/30
Gunpowder Press. Barry Spacks Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30
Inlandia. Hillary Gravendyk Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30
Jacar Press. Full-Length Poetry Book Contest; Poetry Chapbook Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30
Kinsman Avenue Publishing. Amour Collection. Novellas. Entry Fee. 4/30
Letter Review. Prize for Flash Fiction, Prize for Poetry, Prize for Short Fiction. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30
Mad Creek Books. Gournay Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/30
Marsh Hawk Press. Robert Creeley Memorial Award/Rochelle Ratner Memorial Award. Poetry. 4/30
Ninth Letter. Literary Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30
North Carolina Literary Review. James Applewhite Poetry Prize Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30
Oversound. Oversound Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30
Poetry International. Poetry International Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30
Storm Cellar. Force Majeure Flash Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Cross-Genre, Drama, Comics. Entry Fee. 4/30
Tupelo Press. Berkshire Prize for a First or Second Book of Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30
University of Iowa Press. Iowa Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30
University of Pittsburgh Press. Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30
Vallum. Vallum Chapbook Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30
Wilbur & Niso Smith Foundation. New Voices Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/30
Winning Writers. Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/30
WOW! Women on Writing. Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/30
May
Americana: The Institute for the Study of American Popular Culture. Prize Americana for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/1
Atlanta Review. International Poetry Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/1
Breakwater Review. Peseroff Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/1
Haiku Poets of Northern California. San Francisco International Haibun Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/1
High Desert Museum. Waterston Desert Writing Prize. Nonfiction. 5/1
The Malahat Review. Far Horizons Award. Fiction (odd-numbered years), Poetry (even-numbered years). Entry Fee. 5/1
Moon City Press. Moon City Short Fiction Award, Moon City Poetry Award. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/1
Noemi Press. Book Award for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/1
Parsec. Parsec Short Story Contest. Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror. No Fee. 5/1
Shepherd University. West Virginia Fiction Competition. Fiction. No Fee. 5/1
University of Nebraska Press. The Backwaters Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/1
Wick Poetry Center. Stan & Tom Wick Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/1
Writing Battle. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/3 (registration); 5/5 (entry)
Exposition Review. Flash 405. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Screenplay, Experimental. Entry Fee. 5/5
Leapfrog Press. Global Fiction Prize Contest. Adult Fiction, Young Adult/Middle Grade Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/7
Frontier Poetry. Breakthrough Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/11
The American Poetry Review. Stanley Kunitz Memorial Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/15
Crab Creek Review. Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/15
Crook’s Corner Book Prize. Debut Novel Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee.5/15
The Georgia Review. Loraine Williams Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/15
Lost Horse Press. Idaho Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/15
McGill University. Montreal International Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/1 (early), 5/15 (final) [even-numbered years]
Philadelphia Stories. Marguerite McGlinn Prize for Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/15
Pittsburg State University. Cow Creek Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/15
Ploughshares. Emerging Writer’s Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/15
Singapore Unbound/Gaudy Boy. The Gaudy Boy Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/15
Singapore Unbound. Singapore Poetry Contest. Poetry. No Fee. 5/15
Trio House Press. Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction Award. Nonfiction, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 5/15
Audubon Canyon Ranch. Last House Writing Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 5/17
Carve Magazine. The Raymond Carver Short Story Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/17
New Letters. Conger Beasley Award. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 5/22
New Letters. Robert Day Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/22
New Letters. Patricia Cleary Miller Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/22
CRAFT. Character Sketch Challenge. Prose. Entry Fee. 5/15 – 5/25
The New Quarterly. Peter Hinchcliffe Fiction Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/28
Gival Press. Novel Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/30 [even-numbered years]
Anhinga Press. Anhinga Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
Apple in the Dark. Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/31
Autumn House Press. Annual Full-Length Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
Baltimore Review. Summer Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
The Banyan Review. The Banyan Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
The Bath Novel Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/31
Black Lawrence Press. Black River Chapbook Competition. Poetry, Prose. Entry Fee. 5/31
BOA Editions. BOA Short Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/31
The Bridport Prize. Poetry, Short Story, Flash Fiction, Novel. Entry Fee. 5/31
CBC Books. CBC Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
Creative Writing Ink. Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
CutBank. Chapbook Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
Elixir Press. Fiction Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/31
The Iowa Review. Jeff Sharlet Memorial Award for Veterans. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. No Fee. 5/31 [even-numbered years]
Moonshine Review Press. Kakalak Anthology of Poets & Artists. Poetry, Art. Entry Fee. 5/31
Miami Book Fair/National Poetry Series. Paz Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31 [even-numbered years]
Milkweed Editions. Max Ritvo Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
Meet the Presses Collective. bpNichol Chapbook Award. Poetry. No Fee. 5/31
Midwest Writing Center. Great River Writers’ Retreat Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
New England Poetry Club. Annual Writing & Book Contests. Poetry. 5/31
Poetica Publishing Company. Miriam Rachimi Micro Poetry Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
River Heron Review. River Heron Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
Southern Poetry Review. Guy Owen Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
Two Sylvias Press. Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
University of Georgia Press. Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/31
West Trade Review. Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
Winston-Salem Writers. Flying South Annual Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
The Writing District. The Writing District Prize. Short Stories. Entry Fee. 5/31
WOW! Women On Writing. Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/31
June
American Short Fiction. The Halifax Ranch Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/1
Arizona Authors Association. Literary Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Juvenile/Young Adult, Children’s Picture Books. Entry Fee. 6/1
Bard College. Bard Fiction Prize for Young Writers. Fiction. No Fee. 6/1
Chicken House Books. The Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition. Fiction, Writing for Children. Entry Fee. 6/1
The Cupboard. Annual Cupboard Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 6/1
The Fiddlehead. Creative Nonfiction Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 6/1
Flash Fiction Magazine. Writing Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/1
The Heron’s Nest. Peggy Willis Lyles Haiku Awards. Poetry. No Fee. 6/1
Midway Journal. -1000 Below: Flash Prose and Poetry Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/1
Parlor Press/Free Verse Editions. New Measure Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/1
Raleigh Review. Geri Digiorno Multi-Genre Prize. Poetry, Nonfiction, Visual Art. Entry Fee. 6/1 [odd-numbered years]
Raleigh Review. Laux/Millar Raleigh Review Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/1 [even-numbered years]
River Arts Alliance. Maria F. Faust Sonnet Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/1
Salamander. Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/1
Southern Humanities Review. Auburn Witness Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/1
Canterbury Festival. Poet of the Year Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/2
The Masters Review. Anthology Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 6/2
Writer Advice. Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/2
Welsh Poetry Competition: International English language Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/4
Write by the Sea. Writing Competitions. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/4
Defenestrationism. !Short Story Contest!. Fiction. No Fee. 6/7
Cave Canem. Cave Canem Northwestern Press Poetry Prize. Poetry. No Fe. 6/12 [odd-numbered years]
Grist.org. Imagine 2200: Climate fiction for future ancestors. Fiction. No Fee. 6/13
Western Connecticut State University. Housatonic Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/13
42 Miles Press. Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/15
Baltimore Science Fiction Society. Amateur Writing Contest. Speculative Fiction. No Fee. 6/15
The Bitter Oleander Press. Library of Poetry Book Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/15
HeartWood Literary Magazine. HeartWood Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/15
Killer Nashville. Silver Falchion Award. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 6/15
Lynx House Press. Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/15
The MacGuffin. Poet Hunt Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/15
Narrative Magazine. The Narrative Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama. Entry Fee. 6/15
New American Press. New American Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/15
PULP Literature. Hummingbird Prize for Flash Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/15
Sapiens Plurum. Better Futures Interspecies Interaction Contest. Fiction. No Fee. 6/15
Slapering Hol Press. Chapbook Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/15
Slate Roof Press. Elyse Wolf Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/15
Swan Scythe Press. Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/15
Towson University English Department. Towson Prize for Literature. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama. No Fee. 6/15
Tusculum Review. Poetry Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/15
University of Akron Press. Akron Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/15
Black Fox Literary Magazine. Writing Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/18f
Palette Poetry. Sappho Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/19
Toasted Cheese. A Midsummer Tale. Fiction, Nonfiction. No Fee. 6/21
Willow Springs Books. Spokane Prize for Short Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/24
Gival Press. Oscar Wilde Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/27
Barrow Street Press. Barrow Street Poetry Book Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30
Bauhan Publishing. May Sarton New Hampshire Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30
Briefly Write. Briefly Write Poetry Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 6/30
Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. Fiction. No Fee. 6/30
Burnside Review. Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30
California State Poetry Society. Annual Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30
CALYX. Lois Cranston Memorial Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30
Cider Press Review. Editors’ Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30
Claremont Graduate University. Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award; Kate Tufts Discovery Award. Poetry. No Fee. 6/30
Clavis Publishing. Key Colors Competition. Children’s Picture Book. No Fee. 6/30 [even-numbered years]
Eden Mills Writers’ Festival. Read at the Fringe Literary Contest. Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30
F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival. Short Story Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/30
Ghost Proposal. Annual Chapbook Contest. Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 6/30
Key West Literary Seminar. Emerging Writer Awards. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30
The Lascaux Review. Lascaux Prize in Flash Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/30
Letter Review. Prize for Flash Fiction, Prize for Poetry, Prize for Short Fiction. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30
New Millennium Writings. Annual Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30
Omnidawn. Poetry Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30
The Review of English Studies. Essay Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 6/30
Sunspot Lit. Rigel Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Art. Entry Fee. 6/30
Univesrity of North Texas Press. Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Short Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/30
University of Pittsburgh Press. Drue Heinz Literature Prize. Fiction. No Fee. 6/30
Wasafiri. Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize. Fiction, Poetry, Life Writing. Entry Fee. 6/30
Washington Center for the Book. Washington State Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Children’s Literature, YA Literature. No Fee. 6/30
Winning Writers. North Street Book Prize. Mainstream/Literary Fiction, Genre Fiction, Creative Nonfiction & Memoir, Poetry, Children’s Picture Book, Middle Grade, Graphic Novel & Memoir, Artbook. Entry Fee. 6/30
The Writer’s Center. First Novel Prize. Fiction. No Fee. 6/30
July
Bellevue Literary Review. BLR Literary Prizes. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/1
Blue Mountain Center. Richard J. Margolis Award. Nonfiction, Journalism. No Fee. 7/1
The Laurel Review. Midwest Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/1
Orison Books. Orison Chapbook Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 7/1
Room. Creative Non-Fiction Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 7/1
The Saturday Evening Post. Great American Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 7/1
Conduit Books & Ephemera. Marystina Santiestevan First Book Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/5
Exposition Review. Flash 405. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Screenplay, Experimental. Entry Fee. 7/5
Inverted Syntax. Sublingua Prrize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/8
StoryQuarterly. Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 7/9
Ledbury Poetry Festival. Poetry Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/10
Gutsy Great Novelist. Page One Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 7/14
The Cincinnati Review. Robert and Adele Schiff Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/15
The Comstock Review. Muriel Craft Bailey Memorial Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/15
Driftwood Press. Adrift Chapbook Series. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/15
Driftwood Press. The Adrift Short Story Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 7/15
The Ghost Story. Screw Turn Flash Fiction Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 7/15
Nimrod. Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/15
PRISM International. Creative Non-Fiction Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 7/15
RATTLE. Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/15
Regal House Publishing. Petrichor Prize for Finely Crafted Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 7/15
The Story Prize. Book Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 7/15
swamp pink. Prizes for Indigenous Writers. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. No Fee. 7/15
Vallum. Vallum Award for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/15
William Faulkner Literary Competition. Novel Category. Fiction. Entry Fee. 7/15
Frontier Poetry. Frontier OPEN. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/17
Hidden Compass. Pathfinder Prize. Travel Writing. No Fee. 7/20
Narrative Magazine. Annual Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/21
Free Spirit Publishing. Black Voices in Children’s Literature Writing Contest. Fiction, Community, Ethnic & Minority, Parenting & Families. No Fee. 7/24
Craft. First Chapters Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 7/30 [odd-numbered years]
Rare Swan Press. Kari Ann Biennial Memorial Literary Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 7/30 [odd-numbered years]
Sheila-Na-Gig Editions. First Chap Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/30
128 LIT. International Chapbook Contest. Poetry, Prose. Entry Fee. 7/31
Arts & Letters. Unclassifiables Contest. Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 7/31
Connecticut River Review. Experimental Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/31
Haiku Society of America. HSA Haibun Contest/Harold G. Henderson Haiku Contest/Gerald Brady Senryu Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/31
Harbor Review. Washburn Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/31
The Hole in the Head Review. Charles Simic Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/31
Map Literary. Rachel Wetzsteon Chapbook Award. Poetry. No Fee. 7/31 (early), 9/30 (final) [even-numbered years]
Munster Literature Centre. Seán Ó Faoláin Short Story Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 7/31
Narrative Magazine. Spring Story Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 7/31
Pigeon Review. Flash Fiction Competition. Fiction, Cross-Genre, Translations. Entry Fee. 7/31
Poetry Book Awards. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/31
Press 53. Award for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/31
Red Wheelbarrow. National Edition Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/31
Sarabande Books. Series in Kentucky Literature. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/31
The Sewanee Review. Fiction & Poetry Contest. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/31
Singapore Unbound. Best Undergraduate Critical Essays on Singapore & Other Literatures. No Fee. 7/31
Sisters in Crime. Pride Award for Emerging LGBTQIA+ Crime Writers. Fiction. No Fee. 7/31
Sunspot Lit. Inception Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Art. Entry Fee. 7/31
Surging Tide Magazine. Synthesis Summer Art & Writing Contest. No Fee. 7/31
Under the Sun. Summer Writing Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 7/31
William Faulkner Literary Competition. Drama, Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/31
WOW! Women on Writing. Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 7/31
August
Arizona Mystery Writers. Jim Martin Memorial Story Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/1
The Greensboro Review. Robert Watson Literary Awards. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/1
Lee & Low Books. New Voices Award Writing Competition for Authors of Color. Writing for Young People. 8/1
The Malahat Review. Constance Rooke Creative Nonfiction Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 8/1
Orison Books. The Best Spiritual Literature Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/1
Poetry Society of Michigan. Poetry Contests. Entry Fee. 8/1
Prairie Schooner. Summer Creative Nonfiction Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 8/1
Quarterly West. Chapbook Contest. Poetry, Prose. Entry Fee. 8/1
Radar Poetry. The Coniston Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/1
Seneca Review. Deborah Tall Lyric Essay Book Prize. Nonfiction, Hybrid, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 8/1 [odd-numbered years]
Granum Foundation. Granum Foundation Prize; Granum Foundation Translation Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translation. No Fee. 8/1
Writing Battle. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/4 (registration); 8/6 (entry)
Gival Press. Short Story Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/8
Longridge Review. Anne C. Barnhill Prize for Creative Nonfiction. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 8/12
Omnidawn Publishing. Omnidawn Open. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/13
Blue Earth Review. Summer Writing Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/15
Gigantic Sequins. Flash Fiction & Poetry Contests. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/15
Grayson Books. Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/15
Indiana Review. 1/2K Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/15
Ligonier Valley Writers. Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. No Fee. 8/15
Quarter After Eight. Poetry Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Fee. 8/15
South 85 Journal. Julia Peterkin Award. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/15
Third Wednesday. George Dila Memorial Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/15
Under the Volcano. Annual Fellowships for Writers. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Journalism. No Fee. 8/15
Palette Poetry. Palette Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/20
Howling Bird Press. Annual Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/21
The Masters Review. Short Story Award for New Writers. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/28
Telluride Institute. Fischer Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/30
Aesthetica Magazine. Creative Writing Award. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/31
Anthology. Short Story Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/31
Black Lawrence Press. St. Lawrence Book Award. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/31
Button Poetry. Video Contest. Poetry, Video. Entry Fee. 8/31
Creative Writing Ink. Short Story Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/31
Gemini Magazine. Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/31
Grid Books. Off the Grid Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/31
Gulf Coast. Barthelme Prize for Short Prose. Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 8/31
Gulf Coast. Prize in Translation. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translations. Entry Fee. 8/31
Gulf Coast. Toni Beauchamp Prize in Critical Art Writing. Nonfiction. No Fee. 8/31
Journal of Experimental Fiction. Kenneth Patchen Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/31
Letter Review. Prize for Nonfiction, Prize for Poetry, Prize for Short Fiction, Prize for Manuscripts. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/31
Lunch Ticket. Diana Woods Memorial Award. Nonfiction. No Fee. 8/31
Lunch Ticket. Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multi-lingual Texts. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translations. No Fee. 8/31
Miami University Press. Novella Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/31
Munster Literature Center. Fool For Poetry International Chapbook Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/31
Nine Syllables Press. Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/31/23
Nostalgia Press. HEART Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/31
Oxford Flash Fiction Prize. Summer Flash Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee (need-based free submissions available). 8/31
Searchlight Writing for Children Awards. Best Novel Opening for Children or Young Adults / Best Children’s Picture Book. Writing for Children, Writing for Young Adults. Entry Fee. 8/31
University of New Orleans Press. Publishing Lab Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/31
Utica College. Eugene Paul Nassar Poetry Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 8/31
WOW! Women on Writing. Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/31
September
The Academy for Teachers. Stories Out of School Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. No Fee. 9/1
Academy of American Poets. First Book Award. Poery. Entry Fee. 9/1
Black Warrior Review. Annual Writing Contest/Flash Prose Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/1
Etchings Press. Whirling Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 9/1
The Fiddlehead. Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/1
PEN America. Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/1 [even-numbered years]
Naugatuck River Review. Narrative Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/1
Peninsula Pulse. Hal Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Photography. Entry Fee. 9/1
Puerto del Sol. Poetry and Prose Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/1
Scribes*Micro*Fiction. The Scribes Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 9/1
Willow Springs. Surrealist Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/1
International 3-Day Novel Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/2 – 9/4 [register by 9/1]
Fatal Flaw. Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/4
Terrain.org. Annual Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/4
Dogwood. Annual Writing Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/5
Exposition Review. Flash 405. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Screenplay, Experimental. Entry Fee. 9/5
Lewis Center for the Arts. Princeton Arts Fellowship. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Playwriting, Screenwriting, Cross-Genre. No Fee. 9/12
Finishing Line Press. New Women’s Voices Series Chapbook Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/15
Gold Line Press. Chapbook Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/15
Newfound. Anzaldúa Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/15
Room. Poetry Contest. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/15
University of Wisconsin Press. Brittingham Prize in Poetry/Felix Pollak Prize in Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/15
University of Wisconsin Press. The Wisconsin Prize for Poetry in Translation. Poetry, Translations. Entry Fee. 9/15
Washington Center for the Book. Washington State Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Children’s Literature, YA Literature. No Fee. 9/15
Changing Skies. Climate Change Writing Contest, Art Contest. Nonfiction, Art. No Fee. 9/17
Mslexia. Fiction Competitions. Flash Fiction, Short Story, Novel (Adult & Children’s & Young Adult alternate). Entry Fee. 9/18
Shooter Literary Magazine. Short Story Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/24
Toasted Cheese. The Savage Science Fiction/Fantasy Writing Contest. No Fee. 9/22 – 9/24
Bridport Arts Centre. Bridport Prize. Memoir. Entry Fee. 9/30
California State University, Fresno. Philip Levine Prize for Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/30
CALYX. Margarita Donnelly Prize for Prose Writing. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 9/30
Connecticut River Review. Vivian Shipley Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/30
Dzanc Books. Prize for Fiction; Short Story Collection Competition Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/30
Epiphany. Breakout! Writers Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/30
The Ghost Story. Supernatural Fiction Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/30
Homer Humanities. Fiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre, Songwriting, Art, Photography. No Fee. 9/30
*Students age 10-22*
International Human Rights Festival. Art of Unity Creative Award. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Art, Photography, Audio, Video. No Fee. 9/30
International Human Rights Festival. Creators of Justice Literary Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. No Fee. 9/30
International Human Rights Festival. Rhonda Gail Williford Award for Poetry. Poetry, Cross-Genre. No Fee. 9/30
The Lascaux Review. Lascaux Prize in Creative Nonfiction. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 9/30
Map Literary. Rachel Wetzsteon Chapbook Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/31 (early), 9/30 (final) [even-numbered years]
Moment Magazine/Karma Foundation. Short Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/30
PEN/Faulkner Foundation. Award for Fiction. Fiction. No Fee. 9/30
phren-Z. Morton Marcus Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/30
The Plaza Prizes. Science Fiction/Fantasy: First Chapters Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/30
RHINO. Founders’ Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/30
Slippery Elm Literary Journal. Deanna Tulley Multimedia Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre, Photography, Art, Audio, Video. Entry Fee. 9/30
Sunspot Lit. Goldilocks Zone. Fiction, Poetry, Graphic Novel, Art. Entry Fee. 9/30
Texas Review Press. George Garrett Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/30
Texas Review Press. X.J. Kennedy Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/30
University of Arkansas Press. Miller Williams Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/30
University of Iowa Press. Iowa Short Fiction Award/John Simmons Short Fiction Award. Fiction. No Fee. 9/30
University of Massachusetts Press. Juniper Literary Prizes. Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 9/30
University of Mississippi Department of Writing & Rhetoric. The Willie Morris Awards for Southern Writing. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. No Fee. 9/30
Winning Writers. Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/30
October
African Poetry Book Fund/Prairie Schooner. Glenna Luschei Poetry Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 10/1
Americana: The Institute for the Study of American Popular Culture. Prize Americana for Prose. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 10/1
The American Poetry Review. APR/Honickman First Book Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/1
Grindstone Literary. Grindstone International Novel Prize. Fiction, YA Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/1
The Missouri Review. Jeffrey E. Smith Editors’ Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/1
Mudfish. Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/1
Poet’s Billow. Atlantis Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/1
RCAH Center for Poetry. Wheelbarrow Books Poetry Prize (Established). Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/1
Saints & Sinners Literary Festival. LGBTQ Short Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/1
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival. Fiction Contest/One-Act Play Contest. Drama, Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/1
Zoetrope: All-Story. Short Fiction Contest. Fiction. 10/2
Embracing Our Differences. Quotation Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction. No fee. 10/5
University of Dayton. A Hotel Room of One’s Own: Erma Bombeck | Anna Lefler Humorist-in-Residence Program. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Screenplays. Entry Fee. 10/5
The Furious Gazelle. Halloween Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama. No Fee. 10/6
Poetry Super Highway. Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/7
Australian Book Review. Peter Porter Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/9
Mad River Press/The Journal. Charles B. Wheeler Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/10
Defenestrationism. Flash Suite Contest. Fiction. No Fee. 10/11
Kweli Journal. Kweli Fellowship Program. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. No Fee. 10/12
Hedge Apple. Penny Dreadfuls Halloween Contest. Fiction, Poetry. No Fee. 10/13
Arts Club of Washington. The Marfield Prize. Nonfiction. No Fee. 10/15
Arkansas Writers MFA Workshop. Phillip H. McMath Post Publication Book Award. All Genres. Entry Fee. 10/15
Bateau Press. Boom Chapbook Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Hybrid Writing. Entry Fee. 10/15
Copper Nickel. The Jake Adam York Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/15
CutBank. Big Sky, Small Prose: Flash Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 10/15
Does It Have Pockets. (One Hand in My) Pocket Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/15
EVENT. Non-Fiction Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 10/15
Flume Press. Chapbook Contest. Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Hybrid Works. Entry Fee. 10/15
Grain Magazine. The Kloppenburg Hybrid Grain Contest. Hybrid Works. Entry Fee. 10/15
Indiana Review. Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/15
Palette Poetry. The Resistance and Resilience Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/15
Poetic Justice Institute. Poetic Justice Prizes. Poetry. Entry Fee (BIPOC author – No Fee). 10/15
PULP Literature. Raven Short Story Contest. Fiction, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 10/15
Saints & Sinners Literary Festival. Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/15
Silverfish Review Press. Gerald Cable Book Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/15
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival. Very Short Fiction Contest/Poetry Contest. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/15
University of Louisville. The Calvino Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/15
Alice James Books. Alice James Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/16
New Letters. Editor’s Choice Award. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 10/16
Eyelands. Eyelands Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Children’s Books, Graphic Novels. Entry Fee. 10/20
Zócalo Public Square. Zócalo Book Prize. Nonfiction. No Fee. 10/20
Overland. Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize/Judith Wright Poetry Prize. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/20
Diode Editions. Book Contest, Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/30
Anthology. Flash Fiction Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/31
Anthology. Poetry Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
Black Lawrence Press. Black River Chapbook Competition. Poetry, Prose. Entry Fee. 10/31
The Bedford Competitions. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
Carlow University Creative Writing Program. Patricia Dobler Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
CBC Books. CBC Short Story Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/31
Cloudbank Books. Vern Rutsala Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
The Comstock Review. Jessie Bryce Niles Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
CRAFT. Flash Prose Prize. Prose. Entry Fee. 10/31
Elixir Press. Annual Poetry Awards. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
Five Minutes. Fall Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 10/31
Haiku Poets of Northern California. San Francisco International Haiku, Senryu, and Tanka Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
Headmistress Press. Sappho’s Prize in Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
Kinsman Avenue Publishing. Native Voices Award. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Art. No Fee. 10/31
Letter Review. Prize for Art, Prize for Books, Prize for Nonfiction, Prize for Poetry, Prize for Short Fiction. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
Minerva Rising. Memoir Contest. Entry Fee. 10/31
North Carolina Literary Review. Doris Betts Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/31
Novel Slices. Fall Novel Excerpt Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/31
Persea Books. Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
Pithead Chapel. Larry Brown Short Story Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/31
The Plaza Prizes. Poetry Prize (20 Lines). Entry Fee. 10/31
Raleigh Review. Flash Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/31
Red Hen Press. Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
River Teeth. Literary Nonfiction Book Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 10/31
Tofu Ink. Visionary Arts Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
Tucson Festival of Books. Literary Awards Competition. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
Tupelo Press. Helena Whitehill Book Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
Uncharted Magazine. Novel Excerpt Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/31
University of North Texas Press. Vassar Miller Prize in Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
Witness.Witness Literary Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
Writing Battle. Autumn Battle. Short Story. Entry Fee. 10/31 (registration); 11/6 (entry)
WOW! Women on Writing. Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 10/31
Special Deadlines
Action, Spectacle. The Baltic Writing Residency Prose & Poetry Chapbook Contest. Poetry, Prose. Entry Fee. Rolling Deadline.
Gotham Writers Workshop. #GWstorieseverywhere. Fiction, Nonfiction. No Fee. Monthly Deadline.
The Missouri Review. Miller Audio Competition. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre, Audio. Year-round.
Ó Bhéal. International Five Words Poetry Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. Weekly Deadline.
Prime Number Magazine. 53-Word Story Contest. Fiction. No Fee. Monthly Deadline.
Wiftcraft. Monthly Humour Competition. Fiction. No Fee. Monthly Deadline.