NewPages Guide to Writing Contests

The Guide to 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. Interested in listing your writing or book contest with NewPages? Please review our FAQ and contact us. Would you like to advertise a contest with NewPages? Learn more and submit your contest ad here.

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Featured Writing Contests

Complete Writing Contests List

January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December  Special Deadlines

**Please note these contests are organized alphabetically within their respective deadlines.**

May

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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 for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/1

Foundlings Press. Ralph Angel Poetry Prize. Poetry. No 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
The Far Horizons Awards honors short forms. Genres alternate between fiction and poetry. Only open to writers who have yet to publish a book in that year’s genre.

Midwest Writing Center. Great River Writers’ Retreat Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/1

Noemi Press. Book Award for Poetry. Poetry. Entry 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

Winning Writers. Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 5/1

F(r)iction. Spring Literary Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 5/2

Writing Battle. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/2 (registration); 5/4 (entry)

Australian Book Review. Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/5

Exposition Review. Flash 405. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Screenplay, Experimental. Entry Fee. 5/5

Haiku Poets of Northern California. San Francisco International Haibun Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/14

The American Poetry Review. Stanley Kunitz Memorial Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/15

The Ashland Poetry Press. Richard Snyder Memorial Publication Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/15

Boudin. Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. 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]

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. SUSPECT Poetry Contest. Poetry. No Fee. 5/15

Trio House Press. Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction Award. Nonfiction, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 5/15

Santa Clara Review. Flash Takes Flight. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 5/16
Send your best fiction and creative nonfiction under 1,000 words! All styles/genres welcome: realism, fantasy, SF, speculative, experimental, hermit crabs, etc. Multiple prizes. 

CRAFT. Short Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/18

Audubon Canyon Ranch. M.F.K. Fisher’s Last House Writing Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction. No Fee. 5/19

New Letters. Conger Beasley Award. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 5/19
Annual award for essays that do not exceed 8,000 words. Entry fee includes 1-year subscription. Winner receives $2,500 and publication.

New Letters. Patricia Cleary Miller Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/19
Annual poetry prize. Poets may enter up to 6 poems of no more than 30 pages. Entry fee includes 1-year subscription. Winner receives $2,500 and publication.

New Letters. Robert Day Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/19
Annual fiction prize for stories that do not exceed 8,000 words. Entry fee includes 1-year subscription. Winner receives $2,500 and publication.

Singapore Unbound/Gaudy Boy. The Gaudy Boy Poetry Book Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/19

The New Quarterly. Peter Hinchcliffe Fiction Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/28

Flash Fiction Magazine. Writing Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/29

Livingston Press. Changing Light Prize. Novel-in-Verse. No Fee. 5/30

Anhinga Press. Anhinga Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31

Baltimore Review. Summer Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
An unthemed contest challenging writers to weave magic with brevity. Open to flash fiction, flash creative nonfiction, and prose poetry.

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

CutBank. Chapbook Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31

Fence Books. Ottoline Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31

The Iowa Review. Jeff Sharlet Memorial Award for Veterans. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. No Fee. 5/31 [even-numbered years]
This biennial award is open to veterans and active-duty personnel writing in any genre on any subject. First place winner receives $1,000 and publication.

Moonshine Review Press. Kakalak Anthology of Poets & Artists. Poetry, Art. Entry Fee. 5/31

Meet the Presses Collective. bpNichol Chapbook Award. Poetry. No Fee. 5/31

Michigan Quarterly Review. James A. Winn Prize in Nonfiction. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 5/31

The Plaza Prizes. Poetry Prize (40 Lines). Entry Fee. 5/31

Restless Books. Prize for New Immigrant Writing. Fiction (even-numbered years), Nonfiction (odd-numbered years). No Fee. 5/31

River Heron Review. River Heron Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31
Every year, The River Heron Poetry Review awards the winner of the River Heron Poetry Prize $500, a Zoom reading, and publication.

RockPaperPoem. Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31

Southern Poetry Review. Guy Owen Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 5/31

Sunspot Lit. Solar Flare. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Art, Graphic Novels. 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

WOW! Women On Writing. Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 5/31

June

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American Short Fiction. The Halifax Ranch Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/1

Arizona Authors Association. Literary Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama. Entry Fee. 6/1

Bacopa Literary Review. Annual Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/1

Bard College. Bard Fiction Prize for Young Writers. Fiction. No Fee. 6/1

Birdcoat Quarterly. Editors’ Choice Prize in Essays. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 6/1

CBC Books. CBC Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/1

Cheshire Novel Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/1

Chicken House Books. The Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition. Fiction, Writing for Children. 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

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

Wine Country Writers Festival. Writing Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/1

Wisconsin Writers Association. The Jade Ring Writing Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/1

Black Fox Literary Magazine. Writing Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/2

Defenestrationism. !Short Story Contest!. Fiction. No Fee. 6/2

Key West Literary Seminar. Emerging Writer Awards. Fiction, 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

The Fiddlehead. Creative Nonfiction Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 6/3

Write by the Sea. Writing Competitions. Short Story, Memoir, Poetry, Flash Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/6

Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture. Naomi Shihab Nye Prize. Children’s Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/10

Omnidawn. Omnidawn Chapbook Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/14

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

Catamaran Literary Reader. Catamaran Poetry Prize for West Coast Poets. Poetry. 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

Miami Book Fair/National Poetry Series. Paz Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/15 [even-numbered years]

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

Palette Poetry. The Nature Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/15

Parlor Press/Free Verse Editions. New Measure Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/15

PULP Literature. Hummingbird Prize for Flash Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/15

Slapering Hol Press. Chapbook Competition. 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. Chapbook Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry (genres alternate). Entry Fee. 6/15

Uncharted Magazine. Novel Excerpt Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/15

University of Akron Press. Akron Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/15

Moon City Press. Moon City Short Fiction Award, Moon City Poetry Award. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/16

HeartWood Literary Magazine. HeartWood Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/20

Leapfrog Press. Global Fiction Prize Contest. Adult Fiction, Young Adult/Middle Grade Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/20

Toasted Cheese. A Midsummer Tale. Fiction, Nonfiction. No Fee. 6/21

Free Flash Fiction. Flash Fiction Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/23

Grist Magazine. Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors. Fiction. No Fee. 6/24

The Masters Review. Reprint Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 6/15 – 6/25

The Center for Poets and Writers/American Theatre Company. ‘Words on Stage’ Short Play/Dramatic Monologue Contest. Drama. No Fee. 6/27

Gival Press. Oscar Wilde Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/27

Autumn House Press. Autumn House Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30

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

Booth. The Flash/Flesh 500. Entry. 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]

Dynamo Verlag. Book Contest. Poetry, Prose. Entry Fee. 6/30

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

Fence Books. Fence Modern Poets Series Book Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30

Fork Apple Press. The Slice Contest. Short Story Collection. Entry Fee. 6/30

The Lascaux Review. Lascaux Prize in Flash Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 6/30

Lee & Low Books. New Visions Award for Writers of Color & Indigenous/Native Writers. Young Adult Fiction, Narrative Nonfiction, Graphic Novel. 6/30 [even-numbered years]

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

Ninth Letter. Regeneration Literary Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30

Nostalgia Press. HEART Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30
Each year, Nostalgia Press seeks unpublished prose poems for its HEART Poetry Award. Winner receives a cash award, publication in the annual issue of HEART, and a digital copy of the issue their work appears in.

The Plaza Prizes. Audio Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30

Poetry Book Awards. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30

The Review of English Studies. Essay Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 6/30

Room. Creative Non-Fiction Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 6/30

San Luis Obispo NightWriters. Golden Quill Writing Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30

Slate Roof Press. Elyse Wolf Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30

University 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

Welsh Poetry Competition: International English language Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 6/30

William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. 6/30

The Writer’s Center. McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize. Fiction. No Fee. 6/30

July

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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

Embracing Our Differences. Quotation Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction. 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

PRISM International. Creative Non-Fiction Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 7/1

The Saturday Evening Post. Great American Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 7/1

Vine Leaves Press. International Voices in Creative Nonfiction. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 7/1

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. 7/1

Exposition Review. Flash 405. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Screenplay, Experimental. Entry Fee. 7/5

Conduit Books & Ephemera. Marystina Santiestevan First Book Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/7

Ledbury Poetry Festival. Poetry Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/8

Western Connecticut State University. Housatonic Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. 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

DIAGRAM. New Michigan Press/Diagram Chapbook Contest. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/15

Diode Editions. Book Contest, Chapbook Contest. 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

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

William Faulkner Literary Competition. Novel Category. Fiction. Entry Fee. 7/15

Gutsy Great Novelist. Page One Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 7/17

Narrative Magazine. Annual Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/21

Free Spirit Publishing (Teacher Created Materials) / Strive Publishing. Black Voices in Children’s Literature Writing Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Cross-Genre. No Fee. 7/22

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

Anthology. Short Story Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 7/31

Arts & Letters. Unclassifiables Contest. Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 7/31

Briefly Write. Briefly Write Poetry Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 7/31

Connecticut River Review. Experimental Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/31

Eucalyptus Lit. Summer Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. 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

Inspiring Fiction. Special Edition Short Story Contest. Fiction. 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

New England Poetry Club. Annual Writing & Book Contests. Poetry. 7/31

The Plaza Prizes. The Plaza Fantasy / Sci Fi / Speculative Prize. Fiction. 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

The Sewanee Review. Fiction, Poetry, & Nonfiction Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 7/31

Surging Tide Magazine. Summer 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

Witcraft. Annual Humor Competition. Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Entry Fee. 7/31

WOW! Women on Writing. Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 7/31

August

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Arizona Mystery Writers. Jim Martin Memorial Story Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/1

Gigantic Sequins. Flash Fiction & Poetry Contests. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/1

Granum Foundation. Granum Foundation Prize; Granum Foundation Translation Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translation. No Fee. 8/1

The Greensboro Review. Robert Watson Literary Awards. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 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

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]

Writing Battle. Nanofiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/1 (registration); 8/3 (entry)

CRAFT. First Chapters Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/4

Gival Press. Short Story Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/8

Futurepoem. Other Futures Award. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 8/15

Grayson Books. Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/15

Hidden Compass. Pathfinder Prize. Travel Writing. No Fee. 8/15

History Through Fiction. Short Story Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/15

Indiana Review. 1/2K Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/15

Inverted Syntax. Aggrey Prize for Poetry, Sublingua Prize for Poetry, Tabbikha Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/15

Ligonier Valley Writers. Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. No Fee. 8/15

Third Wednesday. George Dila Memorial Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/15

Black Warrior Review. Annual Writing Contest/Flash Prose Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/16

Omnidawn Publishing. Omnidawn Open Poetry Book Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/16

Blue Earth Review. Summer Writing Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/21

The Masters Review. Short Story Award for New Writers. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/25

Room. Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/30

Aesthetica Magazine. Creative Writing Award. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/31

Anthology. Personal Memoir Competition. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 8/31

The Banyan Review. The Banyan Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/31

Black Lawrence Press. St. Lawrence Book Award. Prose, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/31

Button Poetry. Video Contest. Poetry, Video. 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

Howling Bird Press. Annual Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 8/31

Journal of Experimental Fiction. Kenneth Patchen Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/31

The Louisville Review. National Poetry Book Contest. Poetry. Entry 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

Oxford Flash Fiction Prize. Summer Flash Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee (need-based free submissions available). 8/31

Telluride Institute. Fischer Prize. Poetry. 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

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The Academy for Teachers. Stories Out of School Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. No Fee. 9/1

Academy of American Poets. First Book Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/1

Frontier Poetry. Debut Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/1

Last Syllable. Last Syllable Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/1

Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/1 (normal deadline); 9/15 (late deadline)

Naugatuck River Review. Narrative Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/1

Puerto del Sol. Poetry and Prose Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/1

ScribesMicro. The Scribes Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 9/1

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. 9/1

The Fiddlehead. Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/2

International 3-Day Novel Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 8/31 – 9/2 [register by 8/30]

Terrain.org. Annual Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/2

Under the Volcano. Full Named Fellowships. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Journalism. No Fee. 9/3

Arc Poetry Magazine. Diana Brebner Prize. 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

Etchings Press. Whirling Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 9/6

Quarter After Eight. Poetry Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/8

Lewis Center for the Arts. Princeton Arts Fellowship. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Playwriting, Screenwriting, Cross-Genre. No Fee. 9/10

Lewis Center for the Arts. The Hodder Fellowship. Creative Writing, Visual Art, Dance, Theater, Music. No Fee. 9/10

Association of Jewish Libraries. Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award. Jewish Fiction. No Fee. 9/13

Garden Party Collective. Poetry Contest. Poetry. No Fee. 9/14

Finishing Line Press. New Women’s Voices Series Chapbook Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/15

University of Wisconsin Press. Brittingham Prize in Poetry/Felix Pollak Prize in Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/15

Toasted Cheese. The Savage Science Fiction/Fantasy Writing Contest. No Fee. 9/20 – 9/22

Palette Poetry. The Rising Poet Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/22

Coffee-House Poetry. Troubadour Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/23

Mslexia. Fiction Competitions. Flash Fiction, Short Story, Novel (Adult & Children’s & Young Adult alternate). Entry Fee. 9/23

Poetry Super Highway. Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/28 *all entrants receive a prize*

Homer Humanities. Fiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre, Songwriting, Art, Photography. No Fee. 9/29
*Students age 10-22*

Anthology. Flash Fiction Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 9/30

Anthology. Nature Writing Competition. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 9/30

The Bridport Prize. Memoir. Nonfiction. 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

Columbus State University/DLJ Books. Donald L. Jordan Prize for Literary Excellence. 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; Poetry Prize. Fiction, Poetry. 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. 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

Letter Review. Prize for Nonfiction, Prize for Poetry, Prize for Short Fiction, Prize for Unpublished Books. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/30

PEN/Faulkner Foundation. Award for Fiction. Fiction. No Fee. 9/30

The Plaza Prizes. Poetry Prize (20 lines max). Poetry. 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

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. Etel Adnan 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 Humor. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 9/30

October

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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 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

Willow Springs. Surrealist Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee.10/1

Winning Writers. Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/1

The Furious Gazelle. Halloween Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama. No Fee. 10/6

Australian Book Review. Peter Porter Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/7

Mad River Press/The Journal. Charles B. Wheeler Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/7

Hedge Apple. Penny Dreadfuls Halloween Contest. Fiction, Poetry. No Fee. 10/9

Minerva Rising. Rosemary Daniell Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/10

Free Spirit Publishing. Latino Voices in Children’s Literature Writing Contest. Fiction, Community, Ethnic & Minority, Parenting & Families. No Fee. 10/14

Alice James Books. Alice James Award. Poetry. Entry 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. Pocket Change Creative Nonfiction Competition. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 10/15

Flume Press. Chapbook Contest. Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Hybrid Works. Entry Fee. 10/15

Letter Review. Prize for Poetry, Prize or Nonfiction, Prize for Unpublished Books, Prize for Short Fiction. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/15

PULP Literature. Raven Short Story Contest. Fiction, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 10/15

Silverfish Review Press. Gerald Cable Book Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/15

Willow Springs Books. Spokane Prize for Short Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee.10/15

Cleveland Foundation. Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. No Fee. 10/16

Uncharted. Horror Challenge. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/16

Palette Poetry. Blackout Poetry Challenge. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/17

EVENT. Non-Fiction Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 10/20

Eyelands. Eyelands Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Children’s Books, Graphic Novels. Entry Fee. 10/20

Shooter Literary Magazine. Short Story Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/20

Writing Battle. Autumn Battle. Short Story. Entry Fee. 10/20 (registration); 10/27 (entry)

Saints & Sinners Literary Festival. Poetry Contest, Short Fiction Contest. Poetry, Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/21

Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival. Writing Contests. One-Act Play, Poetry, Fiction, Very Short Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/21

Poetic Justice Institute. Poetic Justice Book Prizes. Poetry. Entry Fee (BIPOC author – No Fee). 10/22

Vita Poetica. Writing & Art Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Art. Entry Fee. 10/22

Free Flash Fiction. Flash Fiction Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/23

Zócalo Public Square. Zócalo Book Prize. Nonfiction. No Fee. 10/25

Arts Club of Washington. The Marfield Prize. Nonfiction. No Fee. 10/27

CRAFT. Flash Prose Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 10/27

The Masters Review. Novel Excerpt Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/27

University of Central Oklahoma. Everett Southwest Literary Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/30 [even-numbered years]

University of Louisville. The Calvino Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 10/30

Anthology. Poetry Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31

Black Lawrence Press. Black River Chapbook Competition. Poetry, Prose. Entry Fee. 10/31

The Bedford Competition. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31

Carlow University Creative Writing Program. Patricia Dobler Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31

Cloudbank Books. Vern Rutsala Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31

The Comstock Review. Chapbook Contest. 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

New Millennium Writings. FEAR Mini Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31

North Carolina Writers’ Network. Doris Betts Fiction Prize. 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

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

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

University of North Texas Press. Vassar Miller Prize in Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 10/31

WOW! Women on Writing. Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 10/31

November

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African Poetry Book Fund. Evaristo Prize for African Poetry (formerly Brunel International African Poetry Prize). Poetry. No Fee. 11/1

The Ashland Poetry Press. Annual Broadside Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/1

CBC Books. CBC Short Story Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/1

Contemporary Verse 2. The Foster Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/1

Cutthroat. Annual Writing Contests. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 11/1

The Ex-Puritan. Austin Clarke Prize in Literary Excellence. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/1

F(r)iction. F(r)iction Contests. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/1

FC2. Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Contest & Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/1

Grain Magazine. The Kloppenburg Hybrid Grain Contest. Hybrid Works. Entry Fee. 11/1

Harpur Palate. Milton Kessler Memorial Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/1

The Kenyon Review. Developmental Editing Fellowship for Emerging Writers. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee (No Fee for hardship available). 11/1 [odd-numbered years]

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 (poetry, prose closes after 500 submissions received)

Reed. Annual Prizes. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Art. Entry Fee. 11/1

Stowe Center for Literary Activism. Stowe Prize for Literary Activism. Fiction, Nonfiction. No 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

Only Poems. Leonard Cohen Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/7

University of Wisconsin Press. The Wisconsin Prize for Poetry in Translation. Poetry, Translations. Entry Fee. 11/7

Defenestrationism. Flash Suite Contest. Fiction. No Fee. 11/10

SmokeLong Quarterly. Grand Micro Competition. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 11/10 [odd-numbered years]

Gunpowder Press. Alta California Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/11

New Letters. Editor’s Choice Award. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 11/13

Autumn House Press. Rising Writer Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/15

Curious Curls Publishing. Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/15

LitMag. Emily Dickinson Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15

MAYDAY Magazine. MAYDAY Prizes in Fiction, Poetry, & Nonfiction. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15

New Ohio Review. NORward Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15

Nightboat Books. Nightboat Poetry Prize. Poetry Entry Fee. 11/15

North Carolina Writers’ Network. Barrax/Bayes Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15

Perugia Press. Perugia Press Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15

The Story Prize. Book Award. Fiction. Entry fee. 11/15

Room. Short Forms Contest. Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/15

Terrain.org. Sowell Emerging Writers Prize. Nonfiction, Poetry, Fiction (genres rotate). Entry 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

PRISM International. Pacific Spirit Poetry Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/23

Narrative Magazine. Fall Story Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 11/26

Anthology. Travel Writing Competition. Nonfiction. 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

The Capilano Review. Fall Writing Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30

Chautauqua Institution. Chautauqua Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 11/30

Cider Press Review. Book Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30

Fish Publishing. Short Story Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/30

Green Linden Press. Wishing Jewel Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30

Indiana Review. Fiction 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

New Millennium Writings. Annual Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 11/30

The Plaza Prizes. Short Story Prize (2500 words). 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

Sweet. Flash Creative Nonfiction Contest. Nonfiction. 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

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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

Birdcoat Quarterly. Editors’ Choice Prize in Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/1

Breakwater Review. Breakwater Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/1

Briarpatch. Writing in the Margins. Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/1

Five Points. James Dickey Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/1

The Langum Foundation. Gene E. & Adele R. Malott Prize for Recording Community Activism. Books, Magazine Articles, Newspaper Articles, Films. No Fee. 12/1 [even-numbered years]

The Langum Foundation. David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Legal History or Biography. Nonfiction. No Fee. 12/1

Moment Magazine/Karma Foundation. Short Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/1

Morehead State University. Thomas & Lille D. Chaffin Award. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. No Fee. 12/1

Philadelphia Stories. Philadelphia Stories Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry 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

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

Weird Christmas. Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. No Fee. 12/1

The Writing Salon. Jane Underwood Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/1

The Fiddlehead. Ralph Gustafson Prize for Best Poem. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/2

Writer Advice. Micro Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/2

Columbia Journalism School. J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize & Mark Lynton History Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/5

Columbia Journalism School. J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Awards. Nonfiction. No Fee. 12/5

Palette Poetry. Previously Published Poem Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/8

Mslexia. Poetry Competitions (Pamphlet). Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/9

Mslexia. Poetry Competitions (Single Poem). Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/9

Friends of American Writers Chicago. Literature Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction. No Fee. 12/14

Interim. Test Site Poetry Series. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/15

The Masters Review. Chapbook Open. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/15

The Outpost Foundation. Outpost Residency for Creative Writers of Color. No Fee. 12/15

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. 12/15

Story. Story Foundation Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/15

Uncharted Magazine. Novel Excerpt Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/15

Writers’ Trust of Canada. RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers. Fiction, Poetry. No fee. 12/16

Narratively. Memoir Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/19

Center for Book Arts. Poetry Chapbook Contest. Poetry. No Fee. 12/20

Toasted Cheese. Dead of Winter. Fiction. No Fee. 12/21

Free Flash Fiction. Flash Fiction Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/23

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

Do Wha(TS) Write. Creative Writing Contest. Flash Fiction, Short Stories. Entry Fee. 12/31

Fork Apple Press. The Slice Contest. Poetry Chapbook. Entry Fee. 12/31

Gunpowder Press. John Ridland Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry 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. Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31

The Kenyon Review. The Short Nonfiction Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 12/31

Killer Shorts. Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition. Fiction, Screenplays. Entry 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. 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

The Lyric. College Poetry Contest. Poetry. No Fee. 12/31

Michigan Quarterly Review. Jesmyn Ward Prize in Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 12/31

Michigan Quarterly Review. Laurence Goldstein Prize in Poetry. Poetry. 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. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31

Poetry Society of America. Chapbook Fellowships. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31

Poetry Society of America. Four Quartets Prize. 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. Richard Mathews Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 12/31

Third Coast. Fiction Contest, Poetry Contest. Fiction, Poetry. 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

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Defenestrationism.net. Lengthy Poem Contest. Poetry. No Fee. 1/1

Mississippi Review. Mississippi Review Prize. Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction. 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. 1/6

Button Poetry. Chapbook Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/7

The Florida Review. Jeanne Leiby Memorial Chapbook Award. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/7

Washington-Centerville Public Library. Erma Bombeck Writing Competition. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/8 [even-numbered years]

Teachers & Writers. Bechtel Prize. Nonfiction. No Fee. 1/10

Writing Battle. Heart. Flash Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/12 (registration); 1/19 (entry)

Colorado Review. Colorado Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/14 (+5-day grace period)
The Colorado Prize for Poetry is an international poetry book manuscript contest established in 1995. The winner receives a $2,500 honorarium and publication of his or her book by the Center for Literary Publishing.

Bournemouth University MA in Creative Writing & Publishing. The Bournemouth Writing Prize. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/15

Chautauqua Institution. Janus Prize for Emerging Writers. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/15

CRAFT. Memoir Excerpt & Essay Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/15

Driftwood Press. In-House Short Story Contest; In-House Poem Contest. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/15
Driftwood Press offers two in-house contests annually in poetry and fiction. The winners receive a cash prize, copies of the issue they appear in, and the opportunity to be interviewed about their work.

Fourteen Hills. Gina Berriault Award. Prose. Entry Fee. 1/15

Fourteen Hills. Stacy Doris Poetry Memorial Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/15

French-American Foundation. Translation Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. No Fee. 1/15

Guernsey Literary Festival. Guernsey International Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/15

Longleaf Press. Book Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/15

Mudfish. Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/15
Mudfish annually awards a cash prize and publication in their annual issue for a single poem. Two honorable mentions will also be published, and all entries will be considered for publication.

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

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

StoryBottle Co. Short Story Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/15

Viriginia Commonwealth University English Department. Levis Reading Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 1/15

Northern California Book Reviewers. Northern California Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translation, Children’s Literature. No Fee. 1/17

Washington Center for the Book. Washington State Book Awards. Creative Nonfiction/Memoir, Fiction, General Nonfiction/Biography, Poetry, Picture Books, Books for Young Readers, Books for Young Adults. No Fee. 1/17

Zócalo Public Square. Poetry Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 1/24

Etchings Press. Book Prizes. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/26

Australian Book Review. The Calibre Essay Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/28

North Carolina Writers’ Network. Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/30

Stanford Libraries. William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/30 [even-numbered years]

After Happy Hour. Print Issue Themed Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 1/31

Black Lawrence Press. The Big Moose Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/31

Cúirt International Literary Festival. Cúirt New Writing Prize. 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

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. Eliud Martínez Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/31

The Iowa Review. The Iowa Review Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/31
Since 2003, The Iowa Review has hosted The Iowa Review Awards. This contest accepts entries of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Winners receive a cash prize and are published, along with runners-ups, in the December issue.

Keats-Shelley Memorial Association. Keats-Shelley Prize. Poetry, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/31

Kenyon Review. Short Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/31

Magma Poetry. Magma Poetry Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/31

Nimrod. Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction and Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/31
The Passionfruit Review. Love and Loss Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/31

Regal House Publishing. Terry J. Cox Poetry Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/31

Sunspot Lit. Geminga Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Art. Entry Fee. 1/31

swamp pink (formerly Crazyhorse). swamp pink Prizes. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 1/31
Each year during the month of January, swamp pink is open to submissions of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for the annual swamp pink Prizes. The winners in each genre receive a cash award and publication.

University of Bristol. Bristol Short Story Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 1/31

WOW! Women on Writing. Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 1/31

February

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American Short Fiction. American Short(er) Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/1

Arc Poetry Magazine. Poem of the Year Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/1

Bournemouth University. New Media Writing Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. No Fee. 2/1

CutBank. Montana Prizes, Patricia Goedicke Prize in Poetry. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/1

The Madison Review. Phylis Smart-Young Prize in Poetry, Chris O’Malley Prize in Fiction. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/1

The Malahat Review. Long Poem Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/1 [odd-numbered years]
The biennial Long Poem Prize from The Malahat Review is open every odd-numbered year and welcomes submissions from Canada and around the word. Two winners receive a cash prize (in CAD) and are published in the summer issue.

The Malahat Review. Novella Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/1 [even-numbered years]
The Malahat Review offers its Novella Prize in even-numbered number years. This international prize offers a cash prize (in CAD) and publication in the summer issue.

Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College. Allen Ginsberg Poetry Awards. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/1
The Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College honors Allen Ginsberg’s contributions to American Literature and his Paterson upbringing with the annual Allen Ginsberg Poetry Awards. Winner receives publication in Paterson Literary Review and a cash award.

Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College. Paterson Poetry Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 2/1
The Paterson Poetry Prize, sponsored by The Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College, is a $2,000 award for a book of poems. Winner must participate in a reading to receive the prize.

Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College. Paterson Prize for Books for Young People. Writing for Children & Young Adults. No Fee. 2/1
The Paterson Prize for Books for Young People seeks to honor the most outstanding books published for young people in the previous year. There are three categories: Pre-K – Grade 3, Grades 4-6, and Grades 7-12.

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

Washington Square Review. Spring New Voices Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/1

WB Yeats Society of NY. Yeats Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/1

The Masters Review. Winter Short Story Award for New Writers. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/2

Palette Poetry. Micro Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/2

Southern Indiana Review. Michael Waters Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/3

Writing Battle. Winter Battle. Flash Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/6 (registration); 2/9 (entry)

The Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group. Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Writing for Young People. Entry Fee. 2/14

Arrowsmith Press. Derek Walcott Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/15

Center for African American Poetry & Poetics. CAAPP Book Prize. Poetry, Hybrid Work, Speculative Prose, Translations. 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

Haiku Society of America. Merit Book Awards. Haiku. No Fee. 2/15

Pulp Literature. Bumblebee Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. 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

Sarabande Books. Sarabande Prize in the Essay. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 2/15

Syracuse University Press. Veterans Writing Award. Fiction, Nonfiction (genres alternate). No Fee. 2/15 [odd-numbered years]

Washburn University. Hefner Heitz Kansas Book Award. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry (genres alternate). No 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]

Morris Museum of Art. Porter Fleming Literary Competition. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama. Entry Fee. 2/16

Omnidawn Publishing. First/Second Book Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/16

Georgia Writers Association. Georgia Author of the Year Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Children’s Books, Young Adult Books, Cookbooks/Culinary Books, Specialty Books. Entry Fee. 2/17

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. 2/17

West Chester University Poetry Center. Wil Mills Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/17

Writers’ Union of Canada. Short Prose Competition for Emerging Writers. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 2/17

Humber Literary Review. Emerging Writers Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/18 [even-numbered years]

Another Chicago Magazine. ACM Residency at Shannaghe. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 2/19 (or until limit reached)

Arts & Letters. Arts & Letters Prizes. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/20
For our annual prizes in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction, we offer the winner a $1,000 prize and online publication.

Subnivean. The Subnivean Awards. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/21

The Good Life Review. HoneyBee Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/22

Free Flash Fiction. Flash Fiction Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/23

The Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group. Next Generation Short Story Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Writing for Children, Writing for Young Adults, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 2/27

3 Mile Harbor Press. Poetry Book Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28

American Buffalo Books. Buffalo Books Fiction Prize. Fiction. No Fee. 2/28 (or until 100 submissions reached)

AWP. Award Series. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28

Austin Community College. Balcones Literary Prizes. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28

Autumn House Press. Autumn House Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/28

Black Caucus of American Library Association. Self-Publishing Literary Awards. Fiction, Poetry. No Fee. 2/28

Fish Publishing. Flash Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/28

Gotham Writers. Invent a Word. 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]

Hayden’s Ferry Review. Poetry & Fiction Contest. Poetry, Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/28

I-70 Review. Bill Hickok Humor Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28
The Bill Hickok Humor award for a single unpublished poem was created and funded by the N.W. Dible Foundation. Winner receives a cash award and publication in I-70 Review.

James River Writers. Best Self-Published Novel Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/28 [triennial]

James River Writers. Shann Palmer Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28 [triennial]

Letter Review. Prize for Short Fiction, Prize for Nonfiction, Prize for Poetry, Prize for Unpublished Books. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28

Memoir Magazine. The Memoir Prize for Books. Memoir, Creative Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 2/28
A contest dedicated solely to memoir and creative nonfiction, the Memoir Prize awards cash prizes in three categories: traditional, self-published, and previously published.

New England Romance Writers. New England Readers Choice Award. Fiction. Entry 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, Critical Reviews. No Fee (members); Entry Fee (non-members). 2/28

The Plaza Prizes. Audio Story Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/28

The Plaza Prizes. Poetry Prize (60 Lines). Entry Fee. 2/28

Red Hen Press. Women’s Prose Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 2/28

Scottish Arts Club. Edinburgh Short Story Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/28

The Sejong Cultural Society. Sejong Writing Competition. Sijo, Essay. No Fee. 2/28

Sunspot Lit. Rigel Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Art. Entry Fee. 2/28

Sweet. Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28

Third Wednesday. Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28

Tupelo Press. Snowbound Chapbook Award. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28

Wesleyan University Press. The Cardinal Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 2/28 [even-numbered years]

WOW! Women On Writing. Flash Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 2/28

March

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CBC Books. CBC Nonfiction Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 3/1

Cloudbank. Cloudbank Prize. Poetry, Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/1

Deep Wild Journal. College Student Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. No Fee. 3/1

Ethos Literacy. Short Short Story Contest. Flash 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

Poetry by the Sea. Book Awards. Poetry. Entry fee. 3/1

PRISM International. Jacob Zilber Prize for Short Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/1

Stockholm Writers Festival. First 5 Pages Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/1

Texas Review Press. TRP Southern Poetry Breakthrough Series. Poetry. No Fee. 3/1

Frontier Poetry. Hurt & Healing Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/2

The Rumpus. The Rumpus Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/2

StoryQuarterly. Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/2

Writer Advice. Flash Memoir Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 3/2

Gutsy Great Novelist. Chapter One Prize for Novelists. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/3

Exposition Review. Flash 405. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Screenplay, Experimental. Entry Fee. 3/5

Blue Mesa Review. Spring Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/7

Gotham Writers Workshop. Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/7

Room. Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/8

Tennessee Williams Museum. Tennessee Williams Writing Contests. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/9

Uncharted Magazine. Cinematic Short Story Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/9

Modern Haiku. Robert Spiess Memorial Award Haiku Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/13

Bellingham Review. Annual Literary Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15

Boudin. Pet Writing Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Hybrid Works. 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 Jones Literary Society & Wilkes University. James Jones First Novel Fellowship. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/15

James River Writers. Best Unpublished Novel Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/15 [triennial]

Missouri Review. Perkoff Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15
The Perkoff Prize is an annual tri-genre contest that awards $1000 and publication each to writers of the best story, set of poems, and essay that engage in evocative ways with health, wellness, and medicine as judged by the editors. 

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 Trade Review. Phyllis Grant Zellmer Prize for Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/15
The West Trade Review Phyllis Grant Zellmer Prize for Fiction is an annual contest awarding a $1,000 grand prize and publication in the Spring print edition.

West Trade Review. Prize for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15
The West Trade Review Prize for Poetry is an annual contest awarding a $1,000 grand prize and publication in the Spring print edition.

Word Works. Washington Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/15

Verse. Tomaž Šalamun Prize. Poetry, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 3/15

CRAFT. Novelette Print Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/16

North Dakota State University Press. Poetry of the Plains and Prairies Award. Poetry. No Fee. 3/17

Wolfson Press. Wolfson Poetry Chapbook Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/17

National Poetry Series. Open Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/21

Toasted Cheese. The Mollie Savage Mystery Writing Contest. Fiction. No Fee. 3/21 – 3/23

National Baseball Poetry Festival. Baseball Poetry Contests. Poetry. No Fee. 3/28

The New Quarterly. Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 3/28

Plough Arts Center. The Plough Prize. International Poetry Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/28

Garden Party Collective. Chapbook Contest. Poetry. No Fee. 3/23 – 3/29

Airlie Press. Airlie Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31

Black Lawrence Press. The Hudson Prize. Fiction, 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 & Poetry Prize. Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31

The Lascaux Review. Lascaux Prize in Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31

Letter Review. Prize for Nonfiction. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 3/31

Letter Review. Prize for Poetry. Poetry. No Fee. 3/31

Letter Review. Prize for Short Fiction. Fiction. No Fee. 3/31

Letter Review. Prize for Unpublished Books. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. No Fee. 3/31

Little Kanawha Reading Series. Chapbook Contest. Poetry, Prose. Entry Fee. 3/31

Narrative Magazine. Winter Story Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/31

National Indie Excellence Awards. Multiple Categories/Genres. Entry Fee. 3/31

Parsec. Parsec Short Story Contest. Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror. No Fee. 3/31

The Plaza Prizes. Flash Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 3/31

The Plaza Prizes. Prose Poetry Prize. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31

Prime Number. Magazine Awards. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31
This annual award is open to poetry and short fiction from writers around the world, ages 18 and older. Winners receive a cash prize and publication.

A Public Space. Writing Fellowships. No Fee. 3/31

Red Hen Press. Ann Petry Award. 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, Comics, Graphic Narratives, Photography. Entry Fee. 3/31

Sunspot Lit. Inception Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Art. Entry Fee. 3/31

Switchback Books. The Gatewood Prize. Poetry. 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

Trio House Press. Louise Bogan Award for Excellence in Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31

Trio House Press. Trio Award for a First or Second Book of Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 3/31

April

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The Alpine Fellowship. Writing Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. No Fee. 4/1

Grain Magazine. Short Grain Writing Contest. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/1

Harpur Palate. John Gardner Prize for Fiction & Harpur Palate Prize for Creative Nonfiction. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/1

Kansas City Public Library. Maya Angelou Book Award. Poetry. No Fee. 4/1

Killer Nashville. Claymore Award. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/1

Killer Nashville. Silver Falchion Award. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/1

Millay House Rockland. Writer-in-Residence Competition. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Screenplays, Journalism. Entry Fee. 4/1

North American Review. Terry Tempest Williams Prize for Creative Nonfiction. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/1

Orison Books. Orison Prizes. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/1
Orison Books annually accepts full-length manuscripts in poetry and fiction for the Orison Prizes. Winner in each genre receives a cash prize, publication, and standard royalties contract.

Saturnalia Books. Poetry Prize & Alma Book Awards. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/1

Slope Editions. Book Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/1

Willow Spring Books. Emma Howell Rising Poet Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/1

Winning Writers. Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest. Poetry. No Fee. 4/1

Hurston/Wright Foundation. Hurston/Wright Award for College Writers. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/3

The Masters Review. Debut Fiction Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee; No Fee (marginalized or historically underrepresented writers). 4/6

Palette Poetry. The Queer Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/6

Fall for the Book/Institute for Immigration Research. New American Voices Award for Immigrant Writers. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/7

First Pages Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/10 (4/24 extended)

Desperate Literature. Short Story Prize. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/13

Writing Battle. Wonder. Flash Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/13 (registration); 4/20 (submission)

BOMB. Fiction Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/15 [odd-numbered years]

Broad River Review. Rash Awards. Fiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15

Dancing Poetry. Poetry Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15

Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park. Hemingway Shorts Contest. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/15

The Florida Review. Editors’ Award. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15

Fourth Genre. Multimedia Essay Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/15

Fourth Genre. Steinberg Essay Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/15

Fugue. Prose Contest, Poetry Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15

The Headlight Review. Anthony Grooms Prize in Short Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/15

Lily Poetry Review Books. Paul Menser Book Prize. Poetry. 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]

PULP Literature. Magpie Award for Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15

Spoon River Poetry Review. SRPR Editors’ Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15

University of Utah Press. Agha Shahid Ali Poetry Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15

University Press of Kentucky. Screen Door Press. Fiction. No Fee. 4/15

Vanderbilt University. Vanderbilt University Literary Prize in Poetry. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/15

Omnidawn Publishing. Omnidawn Broadside “Single Poem” Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/16

Contemporary Verse 2. 2-Day Poem Contest. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/17 (registration); 4/27 (submissions)

Hub City Press. New Southern Voices Poetry Book Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/17 [odd-numbered years]

Cleaver. Short Creative Nonfiction Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/20

Free Flash Fiction. Flash Fiction Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/23

Autumn House Press. Autumn House Nonfiction Prize. 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

erbacce-press. erbacce-prize for poetry. 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

Ghost Peach Press. Prize in Poetry. Poetry. Entry 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

Gulf Coast. Gulf Coast Prize. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. 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

Mad Creek Books. Gournay Prize. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/30

Marsh Hawk Press. Robert Creeley Memorial Award/Rochelle Ratner Memorial Award. Poetry. 4/30

New Writers. 100-Word Writing Competition. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/30

Ninth Letter. Literary Awards. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30

North Carolina Literary Review. Jaki Shelton Green Performance Poetry Prize. Poetry. No Fee. 4/30

North Carolina Literary Review. James Applewhite Poetry Prize Competition. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30

Only Poems. Only Poems Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30

Oversound. Oversound Chapbook Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30

The Plaza Prizes. Short Story Prize (5000 words). Fiction. Entry Fee. 11/30

Poetry International. Poetry International Prize. Poetry. Entry Fee. 4/30

PRISM International. The Grouse Grind Lit Prize for V Short Forms. Fiction, Nonfiction, Cross-Genre. Entry Fee. 4/30

Sleeping Bear Press. Own Voices, Own Stories Award. Children’s Picture Book. No Fee. 4/30

SmokeLong Quarterly. Award for Flash Fiction. Fiction. Entry Fee. 4/30 [even-numbered years]

Storm Cellar. Force Majeure Flash Contest. Fiction, Nonfiction, Cross-Genre, Drama, Comics. Entry Fee. 4/30

Sunspot Lit. Goldilocks Zone. Fiction, Poetry, Graphic Novel, Art. 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

Wilton Library. The Cornerstone Writer-in-Residence Program. Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Cross-genre, Comics, Graphic Narratives, Drama, Screenplays. No Fee. 4/30

WOW! Women on Writing. Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest. Nonfiction. Entry Fee. 4/30

Special Deadlines

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Action, Spectacle. The Baltic Writing Residency Prose & Poetry Chapbook Contest. Poetry, Prose. Entry Fee. Rolling Deadline.

Arc Poetry Magazine. Arc Award of Awesomeness. Poetry. Entry Fee. Monthly Deadline.

Fusilli Writing. Flash Fiction Competition. Fiction. 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.