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, and writing conferences and festivals. If you are interested in contests for young writers, check out our Young Writers Guide to Contests.
These contests are organized alphabetically by upcoming deadlines.
January February March April May June July August September October November December Special Deadlines
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
The Masters Review. Spring Small Fiction Awards. Fiction. Entry 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
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
Grist.org. Imagine 2200: Climate fiction for future ancestors. Fiction. No Fee. 6/13
Omnidawn. Poetry Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry 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
Mudfish. Poetry Prize. 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
Narratively. Memoir Prize. Nonfiction. 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
Bordighera Press. Lauria/Frasca 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
The Moth. International Short Story Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/30
New Millennium Writings. Annual Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, 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
Inverted Syntax. Sublingua Prrize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/8
StoryQuarterly. Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 7/9
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
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
Sonder Magazine. Morning Coffee Writing Competition. 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
The Word Works. The Tenth Gate Prize. Poetry. 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]
Sheila-Na-Gig Editions. First Chap Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/30
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
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
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
Cleaver. Summer Lightning Flash Contest. Fiction. 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; Granun Foundatoin Translation Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translation. No Fee. 8/2
Writing Battle. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/5 (registration); 8/7 (entry)
Gival Press. Short Story Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/8
Wilbur & Niso Smith Foundation. Wilbur Smith Best Unpublished Manuscript Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/10
Longridge Review. Anne C. Barnhill Prize for Creative Nonfiction. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 8/12
Baton Rouge Area Foundation. Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. Fiction. No Fee. 8/15
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. 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
Omnidawn Publishing. Omnidawn Open. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/15
South 85 Journal. Julia Peterkin Award. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/15
Talking Writing. Talking Writing Prize for Personal Essay. Nonfiction. 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
Howling Bird Press. Annual Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/21
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. 8/22
Ledbury Poetry Festival. Poetry Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/24
Palette Poetry. Palette Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/25
Etched Onyx. Fall Contest. Fiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 8/28
The Masters Review. Short Story Award for New Writers. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/28
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
Blue Mesa Review. Summer Writing Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/31
Button Poetry. Video Contest. Poetry, Video. Entry Fee. 8/31
Federation of British Columbia Writers. Literary Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. 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 Flash Fiction, Prize for Poetry, Prize for Short Fiction. Fiction, 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. 8/31
Pigeon Review. Flash Fiction Competition. Fiction, Cross-Genre, Translations. Entry Fee. 8/31
Steel Toe Books. Steel Toe Books Prizes in Poetry & Prose. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/31
Surging Tide Magazine. Synthesis Summer Art & Writing Contest. No Fee. 8/31
Telluride Institute. Fischer Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/31
Trio House Press. Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction Award. Nonfiction, Cross-Genre. 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
The Fiddlehead. Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/1
The Hunger Press. Tiny Fork Chapbook Series. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Cross-Genre. 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
phren-Z. Morton Marcus Poetry Contest. Poetry. 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
Etchings Press. Whirling Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 9/2
International 3-Day Novel Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/3 – 9/5 [register by 9/2]
Dogwood. Annual Writing Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/5
Terrain.org. Annual Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/5
Lewis Center for the Arts. Princeton Arts Fellowship. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Playwriting, Screenwriting, Cross-Genre. No Fee. 9/13
Cave Canem. Toi Derricotte & Cornelius Eady Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/15
Columbus State Univeristy/DLJ Books. Donald L. Jordan Prize for Literary Excellence. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 9/15
Finishing Line Press. New Women’s Voices Series Chapbook Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/15
Frontier Poetry. Nature & Place Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/15
The Greensboro Review. Robert Watson Literary Awards. Fiction, 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
Peninsula Pulse. Hal Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Photography. Entry Fee. 9/16
Mslexia. Fiction Competitions. Flash Fiction, Short Story, Children’s & Young Adult Novel. Entry Fee. 9/19
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
Coffee-House Poetry. Troubadour Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/26
Blue Mesa Review. Summer Writing Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/30
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
Carlow University Creative Writing Program. Patricia Dobler Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/30
Connecticut River Review. Vivian Shipley Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/30
Creative Writing Ink. Short Story Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/30
CutBank. Big Sky, Small Prose: Flash Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 9/30
Diode Editions. Book Contest/Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/30
Dzanc Books. Prize for Fiction; Short Story Collection Competition Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/30
Fitzroy Books. Acheven Book Prize. Young Adult Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/30
The Ghost Story. Supernatural Fiction Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/30
Gold Line Press. Chapbook Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/30
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
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
Red Hen Press. Fiction Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/30
Regal House Publishing. Acheven Book Prize for Young Adult Fiction. 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
Whitefish Review. Montana Prize for Humore. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry 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
The Furious Gazelle. Halloween Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama. No 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
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
Australian Book Review. Peter Porter Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/3
Mad River Press/The Journal. Charles B. Wheeler Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/3
Zoetrope: All-Story. Short Fiction Contest. Fiction. 10/3
Embracing Our Differences. Quotation Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction. No fee. 10/5
Poetry Super Highway. Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/8
Theme of Absence. Halloween Contest. No Fee. 10/10
Arkansas Writers MFA Workshop. Phillip H. McMath Post Publication Book Award. All Genres. Entry Fee. 10/15 (postponed to 2023)
Barnard College English Department. Barnard Women Poets Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/15 (hiatus 2022)
Copper Nickel. The Jake Adam York Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/15
EVENT. Non-Fiction Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 10/15
Grain Magazine. The Kloppenburg Hybrid Grain Contest. Hybrid Works. Entry 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. [festival] 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
Palette Poetry. The Love & Eros Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/16
PRISM International. Pacific Spirit Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/16
Omnidawn. Fabulist Fiction Chapbook / Novelette Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/17
New Letters. Editor’s Choice Award. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 10/18
Eyelands. Eyelands Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Children’s Books, Graphic Novels. Entry Fee. 10/20
Arts Club of Washington. The Marfield Prize. Nonfiction. No Fee. 10/28
Narrative Magazine. Fall Story Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 10/28
Zócalo Public Square. Poetry Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 10/28
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
CBC Books. CBC Short Story Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/31
Cloudbank Books. Vern Rutsala Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
Conduit Books & Ephemera. Minds on Fire Open Book Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
The Comstock Review. Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
CRAFT. Amelia Gray 2k Contest. Prose. Entry Fee. 10/31
Elixir Press. Annual Poetry Awards. Poetry. 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
Hollins University. Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest. Poetry. 10/31
Indiana Review. Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/31
Letter Review. Prize for Flash Fiction, Prize for Poetry, Prize for Short Fiction. Fiction, 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
PEN/Faulkner Foundation. Award for Fiction. Fiction. No 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 Puritan. Austin Clarke Prize in Literary Excellence. Fiction, Poetry. 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
Terrain.org. Sowell Emerging Writers Prize. Nonfiction, Poetry, Fiction (genres rotate). 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. Sunken Garden Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
University of North Texas Press. Vassar Miller Prize in Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
Wendy’s Subway. Carolyn Bush Award; Open Reading Period Book Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
Witness.Witness Literary Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31
WOW! Women on Writing. Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 10/31
November
African Poetry Book Fund. Brunel International African Poetry Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 11/1
Brick Road Poetry Press. Brick Road Poetry Book Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/1
Contemporary Verse 2. The Foster Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/1
Cutthroat. Annual Writing Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/1
Defenestrationism. Flash Suite Contest. Fiction. No Fee. 11/1
F(r)iction. F(r)iction Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, 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 Malahat Review. Open Season Awards. 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
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]
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. 11/1
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
Writing Battle. Autumn Battle. Short Story. Entry Fee. 11/1 (registration); 11/6 (entry)
The Arkansas International. Emerging Writer’s Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/2
Overland. Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize/Judith Wright Poetry Prize. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/14
Bateau Press. Boom Chapbook Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Hybrid Writing. Entry Fee. 11/15
Carve Magazine. Prose & Poetry Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15
Frontier Poetry. Global Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15
Harpur Palate. Milton Kessler Memorial Prize for Poetry/Prize for Creative Nonfiction. Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15
Minerva Rising. Dare to Be… Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15
Nightboat Books. Nightboat Poetry Prize. Poetry Entry Fee. 11/15
Perugia Press. Prize for a First or Second Book by a Woman. 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
Washington Center for the Book. Washington State Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Children’s Literature, YA Literature. No 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
Yalobusha Review. Barry Hannah Prize for Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/15
Bournemouth University. New Media Writing Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. No Fee. 11/25
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
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
National League of American Pen Women. Soul-Making Keats Literary Competition. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30
New Millennium Writings. Annual Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30
Philadelphia Stories. Sandy Crimmins National Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30
The Plaza Prizes. Short Story, Sudden Fiction. 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
Sunspot Lit. Culmination Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Art. Entry Fee. 11/30
University of Georgia Press. Georgia Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30
University of North Texas. Rilke Prize. Poetry. No 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. 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
Briarpatch. Writing in the Margins. Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/1
december. Jeff Marks Memorial Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/1
The Fiddlehead. Poetry Contest. 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
The Masters Review. Novel Excerpt Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/1
Morehead State University. Thomas & Lille D. Chaffin Award. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. No 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
University of Evansville. Richard Wilbur Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/1 [even-numbered years]
Waywiser Press. Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize. Poetry. 12/1
University of Central Oklahoma. Everett Southwest Literary Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/5 [even-numbered years]
Mslexia (UK). Poetry Competitions (Single Poem & Pamphlet). Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/6
Columbia Journalism School. J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize, Mark Lynton History Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/8
Columbia Journalism School. J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Awards. Nonfiction. No Fee. 12/8
Sarabande Books. Flo Gault Student Poetry Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 12/9
Friends of American Writers Chicago. Literature Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction. No Fee. 12/10
Backbone Press. Haiku Chapbook Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/15
Chautauqua Institution. Chautauqua Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/15
Gival Press. Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/15
The Heartland Review. Joy Bale Boone Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/15
Interim. Test Site Poetry Series. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/15
Longleaf Press. Book Contest in Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/15
Meridian. Editors’ Prize. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/15
MUSE Literary Journal. Holden Vaughn Spangler Memorial Award for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/15
Poetry International. C.P. Cavafy Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/15
Story. Story Foundation Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/15
Sweet. Flash Nonfiction Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/15 (extended)
Voyage. Best Chapters Contest. YA Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/15
Willamette Writers. Kay Snow Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Screenplays, Writing for Young People. Entry Fee. 12/15
The Writing Salon. Jane Underwood Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/15
Daisy Pettles. Older Women’s Writing Residency & Grant Application. Entry Fee. Fiction, Nonfiction, Drama, Screenwriting, Comics. 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
StoryShare. Story of the Year Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction. No Fee. 12/27
CRAFT. Creative Nonfiction Award. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/29
Codhill Press. Pauline Uchmanowicz Poetry Award. 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
Burnside Review Press. Book Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31
Center for Book Arts. Poetry Chapbook Program. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31 (extended)
Cleveland Foundation. Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. No Fee. 12/31
Do Wha(TS) Write. Creative Writing Contest. Flash Fiction, Short Stories. Entry Fee. 12/31
Dynamo Verlag. Book Contest. Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, cross-genre, translations. Entry Fee. 12/31
The Florida Review. Jeanne Leiby Memorial Chapbook Award. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/31
Hub City Press. C. Michael Curtis Short Story Book Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/31 [even-numbered years]
The Kenyon Review. The Short Nonfiction Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/31
The Lascaux Review. Lascaux Prize in Short Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/31
Letter Review. Prize for Flash Fiction, Prize for Poetry, Prize for Short Fiction. Fiction, Poetry. Entry 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
The Masters Review. Chapbook Open. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/31
Ohio University Press/Swallow Press. Hollis Summers Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31
Poetry Quarterly. Rebecca Lard Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31
Poetry Society of America. Robert H. Winner Memorial Award; George Bogin Memorial Award; Chapbook Fellowships; Four Quartets Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31
Press 53. Award for Short Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/31
Rollick Magazine. Fiction Prize. Entry Fee. 12/31
The Society of Classical Poets. Poetry Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31
Tampa Review. Danahy Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/31
Third Coast. Jaimy Gordon Fiction Prize/Poetry Prize. 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
Versal Editions. The Amsterdam Open Book Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-genre, Translations. Entry Fee. 12/31 [odd-numbered years]
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
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. 1/3
Washington-Centerville Public Library. Erma Bombeck Writing Competition. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/4 [even-numbered years]
DISQUIET. DISQUIET Literary Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/9
92Y. Discovery Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/13
French-American Foundation. Translation Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. No Fee. 1/13
Northern California Book Reviewers. Northern California Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translation, Children’s Literature. No Fee. 1/13
Colorado Review. Colorado Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/14 (+5-day grace period)
Garden Party Collective. Garden Party Chapbook Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-genre. No Fee. 1/14
Austrailian Book Review. The Calibre Essay Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/15
Driftwood Press. In-House Short Story Contest; In-House Poem Contest. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/15
Epiphany. Breakout! Writers Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/15
Fourteen Hills. Stacy Doris Memorial Poetry Award. Poetry. No Fee. 1/15
Institute for Latino Studies at University of Notre Dame. Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 1/15 [even-numbered years]
Milkweed Editions. Ballard Spahr Prize for Poetry. Poetry. No 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
Poetry by the Sea. The Kim Bridgford Memorial Sonnet Contest. Poetry. Entry fee. 1/15
Rattle. Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/15
Viriginia Commonwealth University English Department. Levis Reading Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 1/15
Button Poetry. Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/16
Writers’ Trust of Canada. RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers. Fiction, Poetry. No fee. 1/16
Washington Center for the Book. Washington State Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Children’s Literature, YA Literature. No Fee. 1/16
The Madison Review. Phylis Smart-Young Prize in Poetry, Chris O’Malley Prize in Fiction. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/17
Poetry Society of Virginia. Annual Contests. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/19
Hurston/Wright Foundation. Legacy Awards. Full-legnth Books of Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/21
North Carolina Writers’ Network. Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/30
Passager. Henry Morgenthau III First Book Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/31 [even-numbered years]
Black Lawrence Press. The Big Moose Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/31
The Connecticut Poetry Society. Nutmeg Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/31
Etchings Press. Book Prizes. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. 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
Fonograf Editions. Essay Collection Contest. 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
The Masters Review. Winter Short Story Award for New Writers. Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/31
Oxford Flash Fiction Prize. Winter Flash Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/31
The Plaza Prizes. Memoir: First Chapters, Crime: First Chapters. 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
Tampa Review. Prize for Poetry. 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. 2/3 (registration); 2/5 (entry)
Morris Museum of Art. Porter Fleming Literary Competition. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama. Entry Fee. 2/13
The Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group. Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Writing for Young People. Entry Fee. 2/10
Teachers & Writers. Bechtel Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 2/10
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]
Airlie Press. Airlie Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/15
Arrowsmith Press. Derek Walcott Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry 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
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
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
Cloudbank. Cloudbank Prize. Poetry, Fiction. 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
The Plaza Prizes. Poetry. 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
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
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
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
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
West Chester University Poetry Center. Iris N. Spencer Poetry Award, Myong Chao Son Haiku Award, Rhina P. Espaillat Award. Poetry, Translations. No Fee. 3/15
West Chester University Poetry Center. Wil Mills Award. 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
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
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. Prose Poetry, Literary: First Chapters. 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, 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
The Masters Review. Anthology Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. 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
Center for Kansas Studies. Hefner Heitz Kansas Book Award. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry (genres alternate). No 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 [odd-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
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
Trio House Press. Book Awards. Poetry. 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
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
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
Memoir Magazine. The Memoir Prize for Books. Memoir, Creative Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 5/14 (extended deadline)
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
Storm Cellar. Force Majeure Flash Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Cross-Genre, Drama, Comics. Entry Fee. 5/15 (extended)
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
Connecticut Poetry Society. Connecticut Poetry Award. 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
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.