creative writing submissions 2021

Exploring the art of prose

Submit to CRAFT

CRAFT   explores the art of prose, celebrating both emerging and established writers.

We focus on the craft of writing and how the elements of craft make a story or essay shine.

We feature fiction and creative nonfiction, as well as craft essays and interviews.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

For all contest information, including submission guidelines, please visit our Awards , Calendar , and Submit pages, and our Submittable .

Other questions? Email [email protected].

Unless specifically requested, we do not accept AI-generated work.

Fiction & creative nonfiction.

Our entire fiction library can be found in our Fiction Section . Our creative nonfiction library is found in the CNF Section .

Our creative categories are open year-round to any emerging or established author. We accept submissions from international writers. We review simultaneous submissions but ask that you inform us immediately and withdraw your work if it is accepted elsewhere. We pay our authors $100 for original flash and $200 for original short fiction and creative nonfiction. We do not charge submission fees, but are highly selective in what we choose to publish.

We will also consider previously published creative work, as long as the writer retains the rights or second-publication rights can be obtained. We do not pay for reprints.

Each published creative piece will include an editor’s introduction as well as a craft essay (author’s note) by the writer. These essays will be requested upon acceptance. To read the author’s notes of previously published stories, please see   both our Fiction Section and our CNF Section.

To see a list of our most commonly asked questions about submitting to us, please visit our FAQ page . If you have additional questions after reading our FAQ, please send an email to: contact (at) craftliterary (dot) com.

Flash Fiction , for work up to 1,000 words. (See submission form for details about microfiction.)

Short Fiction , for work up to 6,000 words.

Flash Creative Nonfiction , for work up to 1,000 words. (See submission form for details about microessays.)

Creative Nonfiction , for work up to 6,000 words.

Please review the guidelines in the submission form you choose for specifics about the genre. We’ve added some limits in an effort to improve our response time. We no longer allow multiple submissions—please send only one piece per genre at a time . If your creative work is declined, we ask that you wait three months before submitting again to the same genre. You may have one piece of fiction (either short or flash), one piece of creative nonfiction (flash or creative essay), and one craft piece under consideration at one time.

CRAFT & CRITICAL WRITING / INTERVIEWS

We accept submissions of polished craft and critical essays. For interviews, we accept completed pieces or pitches. For a look at the type of content we publish, please visit our Craft Section . All work in this section is concerned with fiction or creative nonfiction. Please do not send critical work about poetry. Also, please do not send personal essays (creative nonfiction) to this category. We pay between $50 and $100 for original craft content.

Craft and critical essays range from 1,500 to 2,500 words concerning the craft of fiction or creative nonfiction. We recommend familiarizing yourself with our archive. Most essays we publish offer a careful examination of craft elements in fiction or creative nonfiction.

For interviews and hybrids , we are interested in conversations with fiction and creative nonfiction writers focusing on the craft of writing. You may pitch in Submittable or query us for more information at contact (at) craftliterary (dot) com. We often schedule interviews well in advance—please contact us as soon as possible with your proposed interview. In your pitch, please include several potential topics and/or at least six possible questions.

We no longer allow multiple general submissions—please send only one piece per genre at a time . If your craft submission is declined, you may submit again to the craft genre immediately. You may have one piece of fiction (either short or flash), one piece of creative nonfiction (flash or creative essay), and one craft piece under consideration at one time.

EDITORIAL FEEDBACK PLATFORM

CRAFT is proud to offer editorial feedback on creative short prose up to 6,000 words. We review flash fiction, short stories, flash creative nonfiction essays, and longform creative nonfiction essays. We’re happy to help you revise work for submissions, applications, and other opportunities. Learn more here .

Submission questions, concerns, and inquiries can be sent to: contact (at) craftliterary (dot) com

To submit a piece or learn more about our guidelines, click the submit button.

Author’s Rights

CRAFT holds first serial publication rights for three months after publication. Authors agree not to publish, nor authorize or permit the publication of, any part of the material for three months following CRAFT’ s first publication. For reprints we ask for acknowledgement of its publication in CRAFT first.

• Short Stories
• Flash Fiction
• Longform Creative Nonfiction
• Flash Creative Nonfiction
• Craft & Critical Essays
• Books by CRAFT Contributors
• CRAFT EcoLit Challenge 2024
• Short Fiction Prize 2024
• Novelette Print Prize 2024
• Memoir Excerpt & Essay Contest 2023
• Flash Prose Prize 2023
• Setting Sketch Challenge 2023
• First Chapters Contest 2023
• Character Sketch Challenge 2023
• Short Fiction Prize 2023
• Hybrid Writing Contest 2023
• Creative Nonfiction Award 2022
• Amelia Gray 2K Contest 2022
• First Chapters Contest 2022
• Short Fiction Prize 2022
• Hybrid Writing Contest 2022
• Creative Nonfiction Award 2021
• Flash Fiction Contest 2021
• First Chapters Contest 2021
• Short Fiction Prize 2021
• Short Fiction Prize 2020
• Flash Fiction Contest 2020
• Creative Nonfiction Award 2020
• Elements Contest 2020: Conflict
• Short Fiction Prize 2019
• Flash Fiction Contest 2019
• First Chapters Contest 2019
• Short Fiction Prize 2018
• Elements Contest 2018: Character | Dialogue Setting
• SPRING SALON
• Fast Response
• Black Lives Matter
• Resources on Racism

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Best Writing Contests in 2024

Showing 382 contests that match your search.

The Reedsy Prompts Contest

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

Every Friday, Reedsy sends out five writing prompts. Enter your response within a week for a chance at $250. Winners may also be included in a future issue of Reedsy’s literary magazine, Prompted.

Additional prizes:

$25 credit toward Reedsy editorial services

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: December 31, 2024

CWA Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition

Crime Writers' Association

Genres: Mystery and Short Story

Every year since 2014, the CWA and the Margery Allingham Society have jointly held an international competition for a short story of up to 3,500 words. Our mission is to find the best unpublished short mystery, and not only that, but one which fits into Golden Age crime writer Margery Allingham’s definition of what makes a great story. Entries are invited from all writers, published or unpublished, writing in English.

Two weekend passes to CrimeFest

💰 Entry fee: $16

📅 Deadline: February 29, 2024 (Expired)

Biopage Storytelling Writing Contest

Genres: Fiction, Short Story, and Flash Fiction

Biopage is hosting a writing contest to remind people the benefits of writing. Each story (or once chapter of your stories) is limited to 5,000 characters or roughly 1,000 words. You can write about good life experience, or bad, embarrassing, frightening ones. You can win $300, and five runners-up can win $100 each.

📅 Deadline: July 31, 2024

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The Letter Review Prize for Books

The Letter Review

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Letter Review Prize for Books is open to writers from anywhere in the world. Seeking most unpublished (we accept some self/indie published) novels, novellas, story collections, nonfiction, poetry etc. 20 entries are longlisted.

$1000 USD shared by 3 winners

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024 (Expired)

Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize

Gotham Writers Workshop

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize is a writing competition sponsored by the stage and radio series Selected Shorts. Selected Shorts is recorded for Public Radio and heard nationally on both the radio and its weekly podcast. This years entries will be judged by Carmen Maria Machado (In the Dream House, Her Body and Other Parties).

$1000 + free 10 week course with Gotham Writers

📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)

Ó Bhéal Five Words International Poetry Competition

Genres: Poetry

Every Tuesday at 12pm (Irish time) from 9th April 2024 – 28th January 2025, five words will be posted on this competition page. Entrants will have one week to compose and submit one or more poems which include all five words given for that week. The winners & shortlist are announced around the first week of March.

Publication in Five Words Vol XVIII

📅 Deadline: January 28, 2025

AWP Prize for Creative Nonfiction

Association of Writers & Writing Programs

Genres: Non-fiction

AWP sponsors the Award Series, an annual competition for the publication of excellent new book-length works. The competition is open to all authors writing in English regardless of nationality or residence, and is available to published and unpublished authors alike.

Publication by the University of Georgia Press

💰 Entry fee: $30

📅 Deadline: February 28, 2024 (Expired)

Anthology Short Story Competition 2024

Anthology Magazine

Established to recognise and encourage creative writing and provide a platform for publication, the Anthology Short Story Competition is open to original and previously unpublished short stories in the English language by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. There is no restriction on theme or style. Stories submitted must not exceed the maximum of 1,500 words. Writers can submit as many entries as they wish. Each submission will require a separate entry form and is subject to a separate entry fee.

💰 Entry fee: $19

Flash Fiction Award

Bath Flash Fiction Award

Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction

In addition to winning cash prizes, entrants have the opportunity to appear in our print and digital anthology collections. Our books are published by the award-winning small press Ad Hoc Fiction, and are available to buy from their own independent bookshop as well as worldwide from Amazon. 300 word limit.

£300 for 2nd, £100 for 3rd

💰 Entry fee: $10

📅 Deadline: June 02, 2024

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest

Winning Writers

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Short Story

Welcome to the 31st annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest. Submit published or unpublished work. $9,000 in prizes.

Two-year gift certificate from Duotrope; 10 Honorable Mentions will receive $300 each

💰 Entry fee: $22

📅 Deadline: May 01, 2024 (Expired)

Annual Contest Submissions

So To Speak

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, LGBTQ, Non-fiction, and Poetry

So To Speak is seeking submissions for poetry, fiction, and non-fiction with an intersectional feminist lens! It is no secret that the literary canon and literary journals are largely comprised of heteronormative, patriarchal, cisgender, able-bodied white men. So to Speak seeks work by writers, poets, and artists who want to challenge and change the identity of the “canonical” writer.

Publication

💰 Entry fee: $4

📅 Deadline: March 15, 2024 (Expired)

Personal Essay Competition 2024

Write the World

Genres: Essay and Memoir

We want to hear about an experience in your life, rife with characters and description and conflict and scene… but we also want to hear how you make sense of this experience, how it sits with you, and why it has surfaced as writing. Open a window into your life and invite your readers to enter.

Best entry: $100

Runner up: $50 | Best peer review: $50

📅 Deadline: June 24, 2024

Askew's Word on the Lake Writing Contest

Shuswap Association of Writers

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Essay, Memoir, and Short Story

Whether you’re an established or emerging writer, the Askew’s Word on the Lake Writing Contest has a place for you. Part of the Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival in Salmon Arm, BC, the contest is open to submissions in short fiction (up to 2,000 words), nonfiction (up to 2,000 words), and poetry (up to three one-page poems).

💰 Entry fee: $11

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2024 (Expired)

IndieReader Discovery Awards

IndieReader

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Novel

Where talented authors meet publishing professionals with the power to make a difference in the success of their books. Every author who enters a title in the IR Discovery Awards will receive a verdict, written by an IndieReader reviewer and based on their assessment after reading the complete book.

First look consideration by a top, NYC-based literary agency

$500, publicist consultation service, Reedsy credit, custom author website

💰 Entry fee: $150

📅 Deadline: February 14, 2024 (Expired)

Bridport Short Story Prize

Bridport Arts Centre

Gail Honeyman was shortlisted in our competition and went on to write Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, winning the Costa debut novel award. All the winning and highly commended pieces are entered into the Sunday Times Audible competition, top prize £30,000. UK based writers are entered into the BBC short story competition. That's not all, literary agent A.M. Heath reads all the shortlist and considers representation. Long story short? You are 5,000 words away from success.

£1000 for 2nd, £500 for 3rd

💰 Entry fee: $17

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2024

A Very Short Story Contest

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, and Non-fiction

Write a great short story in ten words or fewer. Submit it to our contest. Entry is free. Winner of the bet gets a free Gotham class.

Free writing class from Gotham Writers Workshop.

Rhyming Poetry Contest

FanStory.com Inc.

Write a poem of any type that has a rhyme scheme.

📅 Deadline: August 12, 2024

The Selah Awards

Blue Ridge Mountains Conference

Genres: Christian

The Selah Awards are open to all published authors whose books were published between December 16, 2020 and December 15, 2021 with either traditional or nontraditional publishers.

💰 Entry fee: $45

📅 Deadline: December 31, 2023 (Expired)

Literary and Photographic Contest 2023-2024

Hispanic Culture Review

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Poetry

As we move forward we carry our culture wherever we go. It keeps us alive. This is why we propose the theme to be “¡Hacia delante!”. A phrase that means to move forward. This year we ask that you think about the following questions: What keeps you moving forward? What do you carry with you going into the future? How do you celebrate your successes, your dreams, and your culture?

Publication in magazine

📅 Deadline: February 07, 2024 (Expired)

The Adventure Writers Competition

Adventure Writers

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Thriller, and Mystery

Any novels between 50,000 and 200,000 words that are in the realm of action/adventure/thriller/mystery - and chocked-full of adventure - are welcome. New and previously published books welcome, though you must have sold or given away less than 10,000 books of the title(s) you enter. We do not accept sci-fi, fantasy, horror or young children's books. See our website for info on rules and entering.

Two AWC Finalist Awards: $500

💰 Entry fee: $50

Indiana Review Poetry Prize

Indiana Review

For our Poetry Prize, send no more than three poems in a single document. The winner will be awarded $1000 and publication in an upcoming issue of Indiana Review. This year's contest will be judged by Oliver Baez Bendorf.

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)

The Elmbridge Literary Competition 2023-24

The R C Sherriff Trust

Genres: Fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

"Reputation is an idle and most false imposition, oft got without merit and lost without deserving." - William Shakespeare For some, it is a lifetime’s pursuit, often slipping through their grasp while others see it fall into their hands by mere chance. However achieved, through talent or luck, Fame can be an ill-fated prize. The 19th Elmbridge Literary Competition, run in partnership by The R C Sherriff Trust and Elmbridge Borough Council, is looking for short stories and poems on the theme of the double-edged sword that is ‘FAME’.

Published chapbook

💰 Entry fee: $6

📅 Deadline: February 23, 2024 (Expired)

African Diaspora Awards 2024

Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

Up to $1000 in cash prizes for the African Diaspora Award 2024. African-themed prose and poetry wanted. Top finalists are published in Kinsman Quarterly’s magazine and the anthology, “Black Butterfly: Voices of the African Diaspora.”

Publication in anthology, "Black Butterfly: Voices of the African Diaspora" and print and digital magazine

📅 Deadline: June 30, 2024

Annual Student Essay Contest

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

For this year’s Essay Contest, we are asking students to think about why the story of the Oklahoma City bombing is important today.

📅 Deadline: March 04, 2024 (Expired)

Fiction Potluck

The Writer's Workout

Fiction Potluck is free to enter and open to fiction writers of all ages around the world. One entry per person per challenge. Submissions are accepted six weeks at a time, starting in January, April, July, and October. The challenge and guest judge will change each open period. The guest judge picks the challenge—we never know what we'll get!

Query package reviews to all finalists

📅 Deadline: May 20, 2024 (Expired)

The Montreal International Poetry Prize

McGill University

The Montreal International Poetry Prize is committed to encouraging the creation of original works of poetry, to building international readership, and to exploring the world’s Englishes. The Montreal Prize awards one prize of $20,000 CAD to a poet for a single poem of 40 or fewer lines. A jury of internationally reputed poets and critics selects a shortlist of approximately 60 poems, from which a judge chooses one winner.

Shortlist published in The Montreal Poetry Prize Anthology

📅 Deadline: May 15, 2024 (Expired)

Valorious Awards

Hopper Creative Group LLC

Genres: Science Fiction

The Valorious Awards, sponsored by international best-selling author, Christopher Hopper, is an annual competition seeking to recognize and encourage emerging artists in two categories: best sci-fi novel, best sci-fi voice actor. The awards seek to recognize emerging independent authors and character actors and discover new and exciting talent within the world of science fiction.

2nd: $250 | 3rd: $150

💰 Entry fee: $35

The Plough Prize

The Plough Arts Centre

Now in its twenty first year, the Plough Poetry Prize is an international open competition for poems in English up to 40 lines on any subject. We're delighted that this year's competition will be judged by Roger McGough.

2nd: £500 | 3rd: £250

Minds Shine Bright Writing Competition

Minds Shine Bright

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry, Script Writing, and Short Story

Minds Shine Bright is an arts business based in Melbourne Australia committed to supporting the arts and writers. We run two fiction writing competitions; Minds Shine Bright Confidence, a longitudinal look at the theme confidence in fiction and poetry, and Seasons a competition with a changing external theme. Light and Shadow is currently open.

2nd: $400 AUD | 3rd: $300 AUD | 4th: $200 AUD | Commended entries: $100 AUD

💰 Entry fee: $3

"Matter" Poetry Contest

Oprelle Publications

Any topic or style is acceptable. Even though this anthology will be called Matter, all that is expected is that your poetry reflects emotions and thoughts coming from the depths of you. You need not write about a particular word. We just want you to know that your talent with words can matter to others.

2nd: $100 | 3rd: $50 | Publication in anthology

💰 Entry fee: $15

Tusculum Review Nonfiction Chapbook Prize

The Tusculum Review

A prize of $1,000, publication of the essay in The Tusculum Review’s 20th Anniversary Issue (2024), and creation of a limited edition stand-alone chapbook with original art is awarded. Editors of The Tusculum Review and contest judge Mary Cappello will determine the winner of the 2024 prize.

📅 Deadline: June 15, 2024

Nimrod Literary Awards

Nimrold International Journal of Prose and Poetry

Genres: Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, and Novel

All finalists in fiction and poetry will be published and paid at our standard publication rate. Semi-finalists in poetry will also be published and paid at our standard publication rate.

$2000 + Publication

2nd: $1000 + Publication

📅 Deadline: April 01, 2024 (Expired)

Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors

Grist Magazine

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

Imagine 2200 is an invitation to writers from all over the globe to imagine a future in which solutions to the climate crisis flourish and help bring about radical improvements to our world. In 2,500 to 5,000 words, show us the world you dream of building. A great Imagine story is not afraid to explore the challenges ahead — the path to climate progress will involve struggle and adaptation, and we invite you to show that — but ultimately offers hope that we can work together to build a more sustainable and just world. We want to see stories that incorporate real world climate solutions and climate science, as well as cultural authenticity (a deep sense of place, customs, cuisine, and more) and characters with fully-fledged identities.

The Loraine Williams Poetry Prize

The Georgia Review

The Loraine Williams Poetry Prize is an award for a single poem, to be published in The Georgia Review. The winner will receive an honorarium of $1,500 and an expenses-paid trip to Athens, Georgia, to give a public reading with the judge. We are pleased to announce that Hanif Abdurraqib will serve as the final judge for the 2023 Loraine Williams Poetry Prize.

Expenses-paid trip to Athens, Georgia

Morton and McCarthy Prizes

Sarabande Books

This contest is open to any short fiction writer of English. Submissions may include a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a short novel. Works that have previously appeared in magazines or in anthologies may be included.

Publication by Sarabande Books

💰 Entry fee: $29

📅 Deadline: February 15, 2024 (Expired)

Discover the finest writing contests of 2024 for fiction and non-fiction authors — including short story competitions, essay writing competitions, poetry contests, and many more. Updated weekly, these contests are vetted by Reedsy to weed out the scammers and time-wasters. If you’re looking to stick to free writing contests, simply use our filters as you browse.

Why you should submit to writing contests

Submitting to poetry competitions and free writing contests in 2024 is absolutely worth your while as an aspiring author: just as your qualifications matter when you apply for a new job, a writing portfolio that boasts published works and award-winning pieces is a great way to give your writing career a boost. And not to mention the bonus of cash prizes!

That being said, we understand that taking part in writing contests can be tough for emerging writers. First, there’s the same affliction all writers face: lack of time or inspiration. Entering writing contests is a time commitment, and many people decide to forego this endeavor in order to work on their larger projects instead — like a full-length book. Second, for many writers, the chance of rejection is enough to steer them clear of writing contests. 

But we’re here to tell you that two of the great benefits of entering writing contests happen to be the same as those two reasons to avoid them.

When it comes to the time commitment: yes, you will need to expend time and effort in order to submit a quality piece of writing to competitions. That being said, having a hard deadline to meet is a great motivator for developing a solid writing routine.

Think of entering contests as a training session to become a writer who will need to meet deadlines in order to have a successful career. If there’s a contest you have your eye on, and the deadline is in one month, sit down and realistically plan how many words you’ll need to write per day in order to meet that due date — and don’t forget to also factor in the time you’ll need to edit your story!

For tips on setting up a realistic writing plan, check out this free, ten-day course: How to Build a Rock-Solid Writing Routine.

In regards to the fear of rejection, the truth is that any writer aspiring to become a published author needs to develop relatively thick skin. If one of your goals is to have a book traditionally published, you will absolutely need to learn how to deal with rejection, as traditional book deals are notoriously hard to score. If you’re an indie author, you will need to adopt the hardy determination required to slowly build up a readership.

The good news is that there’s a fairly simple trick for learning to deal with rejection: use it as a chance to explore how you might be able to improve your writing.

In an ideal world, each rejection from a publisher or contest would come with a detailed letter, offering construction feedback and pointing out specific tips for improvement. And while this is sometimes the case, it’s the exception and not the rule.

Still, you can use the writing contests you don’t win as a chance to provide yourself with this feedback. Take a look at the winning and shortlisted stories and highlight their strong suits: do they have fully realized characters, a knack for showing instead of telling, a well-developed but subtly conveyed theme, a particularly satisfying denouement?

The idea isn’t to replicate what makes those stories tick in your own writing. But most examples of excellent writing share a number of basic craft principles. Try and see if there are ways for you to translate those stories’ strong points into your own unique writing.

Finally, there are the more obvious benefits of entering writing contests: prize and publication. Not to mention the potential to build up your readership, connect with editors, and gain exposure.

Resources to help you win writing competitions in 2024

Every writing contest has its own set of submission rules. Whether those rules are dense or sparing, ensure that you follow them to a T. Disregarding the guidelines will not sway the judges’ opinion in your favor — and might disqualify you from the contest altogether. 

Aside from ensuring you follow the rules, here are a few resources that will help you perfect your submissions.

Free online courses

On Writing:

How to Craft a Killer Short Story

The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction

How to Write a Novel

Understanding Point of View

Developing Characters That Your Readers Will Love

Writing Dialogue That Develops Plot and Character

Stop Procrastinating! Build a Solid Writing Routine

On Editing:

Story Editing for Authors

How to Self-Edit Like a Pro

Novel Revision: Practical Tips for Rewrites

How to Write a Short Story in 7 Steps

Reedsy's guide to novel writing

Literary Devices and Terms — 35+ Definitions With Examples

10 Essential Fiction Writing Tips to Improve Your Craft

How to Write Dialogue: 8 Simple Rules and Exercises

8 Character Development Exercises to Help You Nail Your Character

Bonus resources

200+ Short Story Ideas

600+ Writing Prompts to Inspire You

100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors

Story Title Generator

Pen Name Generator

Character Name Generator

After you submit to a writing competition in 2024

It’s exciting to send a piece of writing off to a contest. However, once the initial excitement wears off, you may be left waiting for a while. Some writing contests will contact all entrants after the judging period — whether or not they’ve won. Other writing competitions will only contact the winners. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind after you submit:

Many writing competitions don’t have time to respond to each entrant with feedback on their story. However, it never hurts to ask! Feel free to politely reach out requesting feedback — but wait until after the selection period is over.

If you’ve submitted the same work to more than one writing competition or literary magazine, remember to withdraw your submission if it ends up winning elsewhere.

After you send a submission, don’t follow it up with a rewritten or revised version. Instead, ensure that your first version is thoroughly proofread and edited. If not, wait until the next edition of the contest or submit the revised version to other writing contests.

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300+ Writing Contests You Need to Enter in 2021

• on Dec 17, 2020
• in Writing Tips
• Last update: January 3rd, 2024

Note: Don’t forget to check out the 2024 list of writing contests !

If there’s one thing we need these days, it’s consistency. Something that proves not everything has changed. Something that gives you a bout of comfort given the current circumstances. So what better way to do that than to know 2021 comes with a host of writing contests for people of all ages from all around the world?

Whatever your writing niche or preferred writing genre, there’s bound to be a contest for you. From short stories to poems and even essays, this year we’ve expanded our list more than ever. All you need is one chance, right? You never know, this might be the contest that helps you further your writing career!

The 2020 Exeter Novel Prize

Eligibility & Restrictions

To apply, submit a 10,000 word novel in English. The novel can’t have been published by a traditional publishing house. Anyone above 18 can enter. All genres excluding children’s, but including Young Adult and New Adult, are acceptable.

St. Martin’s Minotaur/ Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition

Anyone above 18 can enter. All Manuscripts submitted must be original works between 220 typewritten pages or approximately 60,000 words written in English. They also must be written solely by an unpublished entrant. The story should be about murder or another serious crime or to at least have a crime at the heart of the story.

Mississippi Review Contest

The contest is open to all writers in English except current or former students or employees of The University of Southern Mississippi. Fiction and non-fiction entries should be 1000-8000 words; poetry entries should be three to five poems totaling ten pages or less.

Stacy Doris Memorial Poetry Award

Anyone can enter. Minimum 3 pages; maximum 10 pages. You can only submit one entry. Submission must be previously unpublished material. Students currently enrolled at San Francisco State University are ineligible.

James Knudsen Prize for Fiction

Anyone can enter. Submissions must be original, previously unpublished work of fiction, no longer than 7500 words. UNO students and alumni are ineligible. All current and former Bayou staff, previous contest winners, and current or former students of the judge are ineligible to submit.

Kay Murphy Prize for Poetry

Anyone can enter. Submissions must be original, previously unpublished poetry. You may enter up to three poems per entry. UNO students and alumni are ineligible to submit. Previous contest winners, along with current or former students of the judge are also ineligible to submit.

Seaborne Magazine: Call for submissions about the sea

Anyone can enter. They are looking for rich, atmospheric fiction, non-fiction, poetry and visual artwork about the sea. Submissions must be formatted to UK spelling. They do not accept previously published submissions, in other magazines, websites or personal blogs. Fiction should be between 2,000-5,000 words for short stories, and 300 words for vignettes. Creative non-fiction should be between 800-1,500 words.

The Crank Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. Must submit four previously unpublished poems.

The Hunger Winter Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. You may submit up to 3 poems; please include them all in the same file. Multiple submissions are allowed with a separate entry fee for each submission.

Gemini Magazine Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter.

The Tony Hillerman Prize For Best First Mystery Set In the Southwest

Anyone above 18 and is a resident of one of the US, the District of Columbia or Canada can enter. Entries must be unpublished, publication on an entrant’s website of a single one-chapter excerpt from a work is eligible. The Manuscript must be written in English and must be approximately 60,000 words or 220 pages. The theme is murder or another serious crime and should focus on the solving of the crime(s) rather than the details of such crime(s).

Jacobs/Jones African-American Literary Prize

Entry must be short prose by African-American writers in North Carolina. Entries may be fiction or creative non-fiction, but must be unpublished, no more than 3,000 words, and concerned with the lives and experiences of North Carolina African-Americans. Entries may be excerpts from longer works, but must be self-contained.

San José State University Steinbeck Fellowships in Creative Writing

Anyone can enter. Residency in the San Francisco Bay Area is required during the academic year. Submit a writing sample up to 25, a project proposal for work to be written, a résumé, and three letters of recommendation.

This Sentence Starts The Story

Anyone can enter. Write a story that starts with this sentence: It’s happening tonight. You have the option to put it in quotes (for dialogue) and to change the punctuation at the end for proper grammar.

Books By The Banks Writing Contest

This year’s contest theme is Home. You are encouraged to interpret this theme as literally or figuratively as you desire. Fiction, non-fiction, and poetry are welcome. Submitted work must be original and unpublished. Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.

5-7-5 Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The entry should be a 5-7-5 poem that follows the structure of a Haiku but without any limitation to the topic.

The Mogford Prize for Food and Drink Writing

Anyone above 18 can enter. The English short story should have a maximum of 2,500 words. Entries must never have been published, self-published, broadcast or published on any website, blog or online forum. Entries must be the sole work of the entrant.

The Henshaw Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Entries must be fictional short stories of up to 2000 words on any theme. All entries must be the original work of the author, must not have been published before the date of submission.

BBC Writersroom Script Room 2021

Anyone can enter. Submit one drama or comedy-drama script of at least 30 full pages in length for TV, film, radio, stage or online. No early/first/rough drafts of scripts.

Poetry Kit International Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. There are no style or length restrictions, but it should be stressed that a short poem is just as likely to be selected as a longer one. This year’s theme: “home” which can be broadly interpreted and presented in any form or style.

Science Writers and Communicators of Canada Book Awards

Authors must be Canadian citizens or a resident of Canada. Entries can be written in French or English. The entry must have been published in Canada during the 2020 calendar year. Entries may deal with aspects of basic or applied science or technology (historical or current) in any area including health, social or environmental issues, regulatory trends, etc. Books must be understandable to the layperson or children, with appropriate clarification of medical and scientific terminology, and an orderly marshalling of facts.

The White Review Poet’s Prize

The Prize is open to residents of the UK and Ireland who have yet to publish a single-authored poetry collection or pamphlet in any language. Entries of poetry portfolios should be 5 – 10 pages per portfolio, as opposed to single-poem entries, and must be written in English. Poems submitted must not have been previously published, either online or in print.

Minute Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The Minute Poem is a poem that follows the “8,4,4,4” syllable count structure. It must have 12 lines total and 60 syllables.

Full Bleed Fifth Issue Contest

Anyone can enter. The theme is adaptation. In addition to essays and stories of up to 7000 words, Full Bleed publishes shorter, recurring columns of approximately 800 to 2000 words. Please submit previously unpublished work along with a brief biography and cover letter.

New Guard Fiction Contest

Anyone above 18 can enter. Up to three poems per entry. Submit up to 5,000 words: anything from flash fiction to the long stories. Please submit previously unpublished work only. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, provided they’re notified upon publication elsewhere.

New Guard Poetry Contest

Anyone above 18 can enter. Up to three poems per entry. Up to 150 lines per poem. Please submit all three poems in a single document. Please submit previously unpublished work only. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, provided they’re notified upon publication elsewhere.

Joe Gouveia Outermost Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Send up to 5 of your best unpublished poems, any style or subject matter, no more than 7 pages in total.

Colorado Prize for Poetry

The competition is open to anyone, except students, alumni, and employees of Colorado State University. Manuscripts must be at least 48 pages but no more than 100 pages. Manuscripts may consist of poems that have been published, but the manuscript as a whole must be unpublished. Translations are not eligible.

Virginia B. Ball Writing Contest

The contest is open to students in grades 8-11 during the 2020-2021 school year except students enrolled in Interlochen Arts Academy. The pieces must represent at least two of the following genres: fiction, poetry, spoken word, personal essay/memoir, screenwriting, playwriting, comics, and experimental or unclassifiable writing. Applicants who submit so-called “genre” fiction (science fiction, fantasy, etc.) are encouraged to also submit a sample of more realistic fiction. Length: max 4,000 words.

Erewash Festive Fright Writing Poetry and Story Competitions

Anyone can enter. From creepy spec fic to bleak psychological thrillers, whether you make your writing ghostly and/or ghastly, ​put the frighteners on us to win this competition.​ Set it during the festive season in December. Poetry length: up to 40 lines. Story length: max 500 words.

Erewash Festive Fright Writing Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. From creepy spec fic to bleak psychological thrillers, whether you make your writing ghostly and/or ghastly, ​put the frighteners on us to win this competition.​ Set it during the festive season in December. Short Story length: max 2,500 words.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

Any United States high school students in grades 9-12 may apply. Describe and analyze an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917. Length: 1,000 words max with a minimum of 700. Past winners and finalists, employees of John Hancock Financial Services and members of their families are not eligible to participate.

Rattle Chapbook Prize

Anyone can enter. Each poet may submit 15–30 pages of poems in English only (no translations).Individual poems may be previously published in any format, but the manuscript as a whole must be unpublished as a collection.

Calibre Essay Prize

Anyone can enter except ABR staff and board members. Essay length: 2,000 to 5,000 words, written in English. Exclusivity is essential for longlisted essays.

Driftwood Press Short Story Contest

Anyone can enter. The entry should be between 1,000-5,000 words. The work must not have been previously published. Submit works written in English only, no translations.

Driftwood Press Poem Contest

Submitters may send up to five poems in a single document for consideration. Each poem must not exceed sixty lines. Prose poetry, experimental poetry, and poetry with a visual element are all welcome. Any submissions should be written primarily in English.

Reading Works Short Short Story Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a short short story no longer than 100 words. The contest is open to prose, any genre. Topics: ants, bowling, 1940s, water.

DISQUIET Prize

Anyone above 18 can enter. Only previously unpublished work in English can be submitted by authors who have not yet published more than one book. One short story or novel excerpt, maximum 25 (double-spaced) pages per entry.

Anyone above 18 can enter. Only previously unpublished work in English can be submitted by authors who have not yet published more than one book.One piece of non-fiction, maximum 25 (double-spaced) pages per entry.

Anyone above 18 can enter. Only previously unpublished work in English can be submitted by authors who have not yet published more than one book. No more than SIX poems per entry, up to 10 pages total.

Dynamo Verlag Book Contest

This contest is open to all authors who have not published more than one (1) full length book in their primary genre (this does not include self-published works). Current and under-contract Dynamo Verlag authors are ineligible, as are any persons employed or associated with the press.This contest is open to primarily textual poetry or prose, minimum 8,000 words for poetry and maximum 75,000 words for prose.

City Limits Love Is in the Air Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. All entries must be about love in some form and written in English. A poem in its entirety must be an original work by the person entering the contest.

Rose Post Creative non-fiction Contest

The competition is open to any writer who is a legal resident of North Carolina or a member of the North Carolina Writers’ Network. Theme: Lasting non-fiction that is outside the realm of conventional journalism and has relevance to North Carolinians. Subjects may include traditional categories such as reviews, travel articles, profiles or interviews, place/history pieces, or culture criticism. Each entry must be an original and previously unpublished manuscript of no more than 2,000 words.

William Matthews Poetry Prize

Anyone can enter. Submit 3 poems in a single file, any style, any subject, any length. Previously published work and translations are not eligible. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but notify us immediately if a poem is accepted for publication elsewhere.

North American Book Award

Anyone can enter. The book of poetry submitted must be the work of a single author, at least 64 pages long, and published in 2020 by an established press. Manuscripts, videos, CDs, chapbooks, and self-published books are not eligible, nor are books that have won awards, including a pre-publication award by the publishing press. It is expected that the book will contain both new and previously published poems.

Rising Writer Prizes

Anyone 36 or younger can enter. Must be the author’s first full-length poetry collection (previous publications of chapbooks are fine). Submissions should be approximately 50-80 pages.

Desert Writers Award

Anyone can enter. Length: no more than 10 pages, double spaced with 1-inch margins. You may submit published, unpublished, or work in progress but it must be an original work.

Magma Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. Poems may be on any subject, and must be in English and your own original work. They must not have been published, self-published or accepted for publication in print or online, broadcast, or have won or been placed in another competition at any time. Length: 11–50 lines.

Writing Magazine Open Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. Entries should be no longer than 40 lines. Entries must be the original and unpublished work of the entrant which is not currently submitted for publication nor for any other competition or award. There is no limit to number of entries. Entrants retain copyright in their manuscripts.

Writing Magazine Open Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Entries should be 1,500-1,700 words. The choice is yours for this competition – any story, any style, any genre. Entries must be the original and unpublished work of the entrant which is not currently submitted for publication nor for any other competition or award. There is no limit to number of entries. Entrants retain copyright in their manuscripts.

Early Career Awards

Anyone above 18, lives in England at time of application and until at least June 2022, and has not published a debut novel or full short story collection can enter. Submit a sample of work of up to 2,000 words.

Heron Tree Volume 8

Anyone can enter. Poems that have previously appeared online (temporarily or permanently, on your own or a third-party site) should not be submitted, nor should work that has already been published electronically or in print. Simultaneous submissions are welcome with timely notification of acceptance elsewhere.

Four Line Poem

Anyone can enter. Write a four line poem that has a specific syllable count. The subject can be anything.

Vassar Review: Protest, Prophecy, Play

Anyone can enter. Art: 15 works/ Fiction or Literary non-fiction: 30 pages/ Poetry: 6 poems, or 10 pages/ Reviews: 2 works/ Digital Media: up to 5 digital works.

Novella-in-Flash Award

Anyone above 16 can enter. Entries can be on any theme or subject but must be original, unpublished previously, not have won a prize, and written in English between 6,000 and 18,000 words long.

Waxing & Waning Tennessee Tempest Edition

Anyone can enter. Poetry: 1-5 poems, up to 3,000 words. Fiction / creative non-fiction: 100-5,000 words (if any longer, it should be good enough to merit the space it will take up).

Women’s Prize Trust Novel Discoveries

All women in the UK or Ireland above 18 can enter. It is open to any genre of adult fiction, and you only need to submit the first 10,000 words of your novel plus a synopsis (and you’re allowed a very generous 1000 words ).

The Phare Write Words Poetry Competition

Anyone 18 or above can enter. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast, or won a prize. They can be on any theme or subject but must be written in English. Non-fiction and fiction/poetry written for young adults or children is not eligible. Length: 40 lines max.

The Phare Write Words Short Story Competition

Anyone 18 or above can enter. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or won a prize. They can be on any theme or subject but must be written in English. Non-fiction and fiction/poetry written for young adults or children is not eligible. Length: 3000 words max.

The Phare Write Words Flash Fiction Competition

Anyone 18 or above can enter. An entry can only be made by the work’s individual author. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or won a prize. They can be on any theme or subject but must be written in English. Non-fiction and fiction/poetry written for young adults or children is not eligible. Length – 1000 words max.

The Nine Dots Prize

Anyone above 18 can enter. Entries should respond in English to this question: “What does it mean to be young in an ageing world?” Length: 3,000 words max. Joint entries and UK sanctioned country entrants will be considered.

Bethesda Essay Contest

Residents of Montgomery County, MD and Upper NW Washington, D.C. (20015 and 20016 ZIP codes) are eligible. The contest will take entries in two categories: High School (grades 9-12) and Adult (ages 18+). Essays must be limited to 500 words or less about a topic of the writer’s choosing. Only one entry per person. Stories must be limited to 4,000 words or less.

Poetry Society of Virginia 2021 Contest

Anyone can enter. All entries must be in English, typed, unpublished, origi­nal, and not scheduled for publication before May, 2020. All entries not in compliance with category specifications will be disqualified.

Stage It! 10-Minute Plays Competition

Anyone can enter. Plays should be in generally-accepted script format and in English. Length: 10 pages or a 10 minutes read.

Past Search Prize for Non-Fiction

Anyone can enter. Maximum 2,000 words.

Free Verse Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. No restrictions.

Lazuli Literary Group Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, essays, philosophical ruminations, stageplays, fragments, chapters, and excerpts are all acceptable.

Black Inc. Anthology Contest

Anyone who has spent a substantial part of your life can enter. This year’s theme: Growing Up in Country Australia. Submissions can be in any manner, tone or style, but should not be academic or scholarly. Length: between 1000 and 4000 words.

The Royal Society of Literature Encore Award

The Award is open for any published second novel, which must be a full-length work of fiction. The writer must have been resident in the United Kingdom (UK) or the Republic of Ireland (RoI) for the past three years. Novellas or children’s books are ineligible. Books published with vanity publishers are not eligible.

The 15th Annual Short Story Challenge

Horror writing contest.

Anyone can enter. Put your readers on edge or terrorize them.

Sixfold Short Story Competition

Anyone 18 and above can enter. Must be unpublished and original, simultaneous submissions accepted. Length 20 pages (5,000 words) max.

Sixfold Short Poetry Competition

Anyone 18 and above can enter. Must be unpublished and original, simultaneous submissions accepted. Length 10 pages max.

8th Ó Bhéal Five Words International Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. Poems cannot exceed 50 lines in length (including line breaks), and must include all five words listed during this week. A modicum of poetic license is acceptable. Poems should be newly written, during the relevant 7-day period.

The Bournemouth Writing Prize

Anyone above 16 can enter. Short Story length: Up to 3000 words maximum. It can be about any topic and in any style. Poetry length: Up to 42 lines. We are looking for poetry that is fresh and unexpected. All entries should be in English and be accompanied by a short (75 word) biography of the author and postal address. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been previously published, or broadcast or won a prize in another writing competition.

20 Line Poem

Anyone can enter. Write a poem that has exactly 20 lines. Any format.

SWAMP Writing

Anyone enrolled in a postgraduate program in any university across the globe can enter. Entries must be unpublished poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction and memoir. This year’s theme: Reflection.

Two Line Poem

Anyone can enter. Write an essence poem. The poem should be of two lines with six syllables per line, each containing an internal rhyme and an ending rhyme.

Fan Story Hate to love Contest

Anyone can enter. The topic for this contest is: A hate to love story. The story does not have to be specifically about the topic. But should clearly incorporate the topic into the story. Minimum length 700 words. Recommended length 2,000 – 3,500 words.

Parracombe Prize 2020

To enter, simply submit a short story of no more than 2,020 words. Entries must be in English, your own original work, must not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere.

Fiction Factory Flash Fiction Writing Competition

Anyone above 16 can enter. Stories must be original and unpublished in print or websites. Must in English and a maximum of 1,000 words. All genres will be accepted except children’s and young adult fiction.

Cambridge Autumn Festival Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. The word limit is 1500 words.The theme for this year’s competition is “Lockdown”.

The Kent and Sussex Poetry Society Open Competition

Anyone can enter. Poems must be in English, unpublished, not accepted for publication, and must be your original work. They must be no longer than 40 lines.

Caine Prize for African Writing

Submissions can only be made by publishers and the prize winner has to be an African national and the entry has to be in English. Unpublished and self-published work is not eligible for the Caine Prize. Works not eligible for entry include stories for children, factual writing, plays, biography.

Young Authors Writing Competition

The contest is open to students attending grades 9-12. Each individual entry has a limit of ten pages. The number of words is not fixed, but each work cannot exceed 10 pages. No previously published entries. Simultaneous submissions are allowed for our contest, but you must notify them immediately if the piece is accepted elsewhere.

Driftwood Poetry Collections

Anyone can enter. It should be between 40-100 pages of poetry. Experimental poetry, hybrid work, poetry with a visual element, prose poetry, and any avant-garde poetry are welcomed! Submissions should be primarily in English, but collections with a moderate bilingual component will of course be considered.

The Winter Anthology

Anyone can enter. Please send as much poetry or prose of which you are the sole author and that were not written earlier than 1999.

Fish Publishing Short Memoir Prize

Anyone can enter. The entries can’t have been previously published. Maximum number of words is 4,000 in English.

Sentinel Literary Quarterly Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. This competition is for original, previously unpublished poems in English, on any subject, in any style up to 50 lines long. Poems posted on members-only non-public groups for review/critique as part of the creative process are not deemed to have been previously published.

GCWA Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Youth category: 11-17; adult category: above 18. Your entry must be original, in English, unpublished, and unproduced, not accepted by any other publisher or producer before April 1, 2021. Fiction/non-fiction/children’s —1500 words maximum. Poetry – 40 lines maximum.

Blackwater Press short story contest

Anyone can enter. Word limit should be between 1000 words to 10,000 words.

Michael McLaverty Short Story Competition

Entrants must have been born in, or are citizens of, or resident in Northern Ireland/Republic of Ireland. Entries must not exceed the maximum of 3,000 words. Entries must not have been, by the date of submission, published or broadcast in any medium.

Mighty Pens Winter Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Theme: short story about winter. Entries must be between 500 and 1,000 words. Each entry must be the exclusive work of the author, in English, and must not have been published or appeared anywhere else, including any placement in another competition.

Cheshire Prize for Literature

The writer must have been born, live or have lived, study or have studied, work or have worked, in Cheshire. Entry must be an original and previously unpublished piece of creative work in one of four categories themed around all aspects of the pandemic including “lockdown”: poetry, short fiction, children’s literature and scriptwriting.

Oxford Flash Fiction Prize

Anyone can enter. All entries must be the work of the person entering and must not have been published anywhere online (including blogs and websites) or accepted for publication elsewhere. It must be in English. The copyright remains with the author. Length: 1000 words, no minimum word limit.

The Chaucer Tales Writing Competition

The competition is open to all students of school age including not only those in schools and college communities (ages 5-18), but also students who are home educated and in any other young people’s community organisations. The maximum word count is 500 words in English. The special theme of the competition this year is Be Careful What You Wish For!

First Chapter Competition

Anyone can enter. International entries are welcome but first chapters must be written in English and can be up to 3,500 words (no minimum word count) and on any theme and subject (except children’s fiction). The novel should be unpublished and not have been accepted by a publisher.

Cranked Anvil Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. The competition is open to any theme or genre, but your story must be a maximum of 1,500 words and must be written in English. Entries must be the original and unpublished work of the entrant. This includes publication online, including (but not limited to) personal blogs or websites. Each entry must not be currently submitted for publication nor for any other competition or award.

Annual Fifteen Stories High Short Story Competition

The contest is now open to all Ontario resident writers. Stories must be unpublished fiction and creative non-fiction and be between 1, 000 and 3,000 words in length. Each piece must be original, unpublished, not submitted elsewhere for publication or broadcast, nor accepted elsewhere for publication or broadcast, nor entered simultaneously in any other contest or competition for which it is also eligible to win a prize.

Lancashire Authors’ Association Open Competition

Anyone 16 or above can enter. The story must be exactly 100 words. Entries must be original, unpublished work which is not currently submitted for publication or entered into any other competition or award.

Teignmouth Poetry Festival Open Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. Poems may be on any subject, must be the original work of the entrant, unpublished and not accepted for publication in any medium. They must not have been awarded a prize in any other competition. Poems should be in English and not exceed 36 lines of text, no minimum.

Teignmouth Poetry Festival Devon residents Poetry Competition

Residents of Devon can enter. Poems may be on any subject, must be the original work of the entrant, unpublished and not accepted for publication in any medium. They must not have been awarded a prize in any other competition. Poems should be in English and not exceed 36 lines of text, no minimum.

The Big Moose Prize

Anyone can enter. The Big Moose Prize is open to traditional unpublished novels as well as novels-in-stories, novels-in-poems, and other hybrid forms that contain within them the spirit of a novel. Manuscripts should be 90-1,000 pages in length.

The over 90s Short Story Prize

Anyone who lives in the UK around 90 years of age or over on the 1st September 2020 can enter. Write a short story with a maximum of 500 words on the theme of childhood memories.

The British Haiku Society Poetry competition

Anyone can enter. Submissions must be in English, unpublished and not concurrently entered for any other competition, and remain unpublished until the results are declared. Submissions should not appear in any print or online publication, social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) or forums as the competition is anonymous. There is no limit on the number of submissions per competitor.

Stringybark Open Short Story Award

Anyone can enter. It should be about Australia. Length: Up to 1500 words. Written for an audience aged 16 and above.

Dark Tales Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Each entry must be no longer than 5000 words, must be the original, unpublished work of the stated author.

The Masters Review Short Story Award For New Writers

Anyone can enter. Previously unpublished stories only. Simultaneous and multiple submissions allowed. Emerging writers only (Writers with novels published with a circulation of fewer than 5000 copies can also submit.) Length: under 6000 words.

Arachne Press Opportunity for Deaf writers

Submissions are open for UK writers who are deaf only. Deaf writers may submit by video in BSL. No erotica, or horror of any kind, gore or torture. No sexist stereotypes and derivative plotlines, sloppy writing and clichés, romance and chick-lit. Stories and poems must be your own work, written in English, up to 2000 words long and unpublished except for The Story Sessions.

The Danuta Gleed Literary Award

All entries must be Canadian-authored titles published in English between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020 and available through bookstores and libraries. Submission must be a first collection/first edition of short fiction, no co-authored entries, no posthumously published works, electronically published works not eligible, submission must be made by a publisher. Translations from other languages into English are eligible if all other criteria are met.

The Brucedale Press Annual Acrostic Story Contest

Anyone under 18 can enter. Stories entered must be original, unpublished work created by the entrant, not previously entered in this contest. Stories may not be longer than 26 sentences. The first sentence must begin with “Because I can…”. Any subject or theme is acceptable, provided there is no profanity, obscenity, ageism, racism or sexism.

The Word Guild 2021 Fresh Ink Student Writing Awards

This contest is designed to encourage student writers in 2 age categories: high school and college/university. Enter original works in 5 categories. Short stories, no-fiction and poetry must be 1500 words or less, first three chapters of an unpublished novel 15 pages or less and short script (screen or stage) 45 pages or less.

Amazon First Novel Award

Anyone between 13-17 and is a citizen or permanent resident of Canada can enter. The Youth Short Story Category invites authors between the ages of thirteen and seventeen to submit a short story under 3,000 words.

Little Tokyo Historical Society Short Story Contest

Anyone can enter. Fiction: 5,000 words. Poetry: single poems or multi-poem cycles. Stories must be set in a current, past or future Little Tokyo in the City of Los Angeles, California.

Bad Betty Press: Pamphlet & Collection Manuscripts

Anyone can enter. Submit 10 pages of poetry from a full collection/pamphlet manuscript.

Bluefire 1000-Word Short Story Contest

Anyone in school grades 6-12 can enter. Entries must be original and not previously published. Length: exactly 1000 words. Previous grand prize winners are not eligible to submit in the same grade category (6-8, or 9-12) in which they have won.

EngineerGirl Essay Contest

Anyone in school (grades 3-12) can enter. Submit a piece of writing that salutes engineering’s role in meeting and defeating the challenges presented by COVID-19. Check guidlines for your category. Grades 3-5: 600 words limit. Grades 6-8: 650 words limit. High school: 700 words limit.

Accenti Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Submissions for original and unpublished English prose texts only. Maximum length: 2000 words. No poetry, plays, reviews, and scholarly essays. No footnotes and endnotes. No pseudonyms. Submissions can be an English translation of the author’s unpublished original work in another language.

River of Words: Youth Art and Poetry Inspired by the Natural World

The contest is open through to 12th grade students, ages 5-20. Students must be enrolled in school to be eligible. All entries must be submitted by a parent, guardian, educator, or facilitator unless the student is 18 years old or older. Poems can be in English and Spanish. All poems must be original work and should not exceed 32 lines in length (written) or 3 minutes (signed).

Spread The Word Life Writing Prize

Entrants must be based in the UK, above 18, unpublished (unless self-published), and currently unagented. The entry should be up to 5000 words.

The BookLife Prize

Anyone can enter. Both unpublished or self-published books in the English language are eligible for the BookLife Prize. Entries must contain 40,000 to 100,000 words.

Accenti Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Submissions are open for entries unpublished and not under consideration by any other publication. Maximum length: 40 lines. Submissions can be an English translation of the author’s unpublished original work in another language.

SCWC Poetry Award

Anyone above in Australia 18 can enter. Entries must be single poems of no more than 50 lines. For entries not primarily written in English, an English translation should be provided for the judges. Entries must be original and unpublished works written by an individual author. Entries should not be on offer to other publications or prizes for the duration of the competition. This year’s theme is ‘every body’.

St. Gallen Symposium Esay Competition

Anyone enrolled in a graduate or postgraduate programme (master level or higher) and born in 1991 or later can enter. Essay should be in English and length should be max. 2,100 words. The essay must be written exclusively for this contest.

The Crucible First Novel Award

Anyone can enter. Submit the first 5,000 words of their manuscripts, along with a 150 word ‘elevator pitch’. Manuscripts which have been published in any form, either traditionally or self-published, are ineligible to enter. Entries which fall within the genres of crime, mystery, thriller, or their sub-genres are eligible.

William Van Dyke Short Story Prize

Anyone can enter. The short story must be 5,500 words or less. Entries must be previously unpublished. Regular Ruminate blog contributors, past first-place winners of any Ruminate Prize, past judges of any Ruminate prize, and friends or family of the Ruminate staff can’t enter.

Dialogue Only Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a story using only dialogue. No narration or descriptions. Sentence tags are optional. No length requirements.

2021 Newcastle Short Story Award

All Australian citizens or permanent residents above 18 can enter. Length: 2,000 words max. Entries must be the original work of the applicant and must not be published in any form or currently offered for publication.

Room 204 Writer Development Scheme

Entrant should have a 2-year writing history with up to 3 writing examples, a max of 3,000 words total.

Arizona Mystery Writers Mary Ann Hutchison Memorial Story Contest for Youths

Writers from 9-16 years of age. Submission must be up to 2500 words (about 10 double-spaced pages).

Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award

Anyone can enter. Submit a short story of no more than 8,000 words, that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration.

The Marten Bequest Scholarships

Australian citizens aged 21-35 can enter. The scholarships provide financial support under the writing categories: poetry and prose. You can’t apply if: 1) you received a grant, or administered a grant, from the Australia Council in the past and that grant has not been satisfactorily acquitted; 2) you owe money to the Australia Council; 3) you were previously awarded a grant through The Marten Bequest.

Kathleen Mitchell Award

Anyone under 30 years, have been born in Australia or the United Kingdom, or are currently Australian citizens or have been living in Australia for the 12 months preceding the closing date can enter. Entries must be novel or novella and they must have been published or accepted for publication within the 2 years prior to the Award closing date. This can be demonstrated by the providing an ISBN or letter of confirmation from the publisher as part of your entry.

Dal Stivens Award

Anyone under 30 years, Australian citizens, or have been permanent residents in the two years preceding the closing date. Entries must be a short story or essay between 3,000 and 10,000 words and they must have been published or accepted for publication within the 12 months prior to the Award closing date.

The National Federation of Press Women’s Communications Contest for Professionals

All members of the National Federation of Press Women can enter. High school students may enter the professional contest if they are acting in a professional capacity. Entrants from Missouri, Nebraska and North Dakota must be NFPW members to enter. All work must have been published or broadcast between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020, to be eligible for entry.

Ottawa Travel Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Eligible entries include items in English or in French that have appeared in magazines, newspapers, or online media in 2020 that highlight Ottawa as a travel destination.

The Elmbridge Literary Competition

All entries must be in English and previously unpublished. Short stories length: 1000 words (8-13 years) or 1500 words (14+). Poems length: 30 lines. Little Rhymes and Stories for the 5-7 years group should be no longer than 20 lines (Rhymes) or 500 words (Stories) and can be hand written (but must be legible).

3 Line Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The poem has to have a syllable count of either 5-7-5 or 5-7-7. It shouldn’t rhyme. But the poem must address a loved one.

Bath Flash Fiction Award

Anyone above 16 can enter. Entries can be on any theme or subject but must be original and written in English. They must also be for adult or young adult readers. Non-fiction and fiction written for children under 13 years are not eligible. Max length is 300 words. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or won a prize.

The National Federation of Press Women’s Communications Contest for High School Students

All high school students in the US can enter. All 2021 contest entries must have been published, e-published, broadcast, or issued between February 1, 2020, and January 31, 2021. Entries must be produced by a current high school student or a recently graduated student who produced the work in their senior year after February 1, 2020.

Fan Story Faith Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The theme for this poetry contest is “faith”.

Globe Soup Winter Flash Fiction Competition

Anyone 18 and above can enter. The entries should be no more than 800 words. All entries must be written for adult or young adult readers. Flash Fiction stories aimed at children are not allowed. Entries must be the participants’ own, original work. They must not have been published, self-published, published online or made public on social media or featured among the winners in any other competition. Entries must not include photographs or illustrations.

Next Generation Indie Book Awards

The 2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards is open to all indie book authors and publishers who have a book, a manuscript, or a galley proof written in English and published in 2019, 2020 or 2021 or with a 2019, 2020 or 2021 copyright date.

Writers’ & Artists’ Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Submit a short story (for adults) of no more than 2,000 words.

The Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize

The competition is for novel manuscripts in any genre by unpublished women writer residents in the UK and Ireland. Literary and genre fiction are equally welcomed, and novels for children and young adults may be entered as long as they are primarily word-based. Picture books are not accepted. To enter, send the first 30 to 50 pages and a synopsis between three and five pages.

Short Prose Competition

Any Canadian citizen or resident can enter. Writer must have had no more than one book published (traditionally or self-published) and currently be under no contract for a second book. Piece must be unpublished, original, won no prize before, in English. Length: max 2,500 words.

Fan Story Future Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a flash fiction story that takes place in the future. Maximum length 500 words.

Hippocrates international Open Prize and Health Professional Prize

Anyone can enter. Poems must be no more than 50 lines in length and not have previously been published in any form. They must be written in English on a medical subject and should not be translations of another writer’s work.

Adventures in Fiction Spotlight First Novel Award

Anyone can enter. To enter, submit the first page of your novel and a one-page synopsis. The winner should be prepared to submit the manuscript of their novel in hard copy (12pt, double-spaced, single side of the paper only) to Adventures in Fiction by the beginning of April. Prize: A Stage One Mentoring package for a novel of up to 550 pages/170,000 words including a full manuscript appraisal, a development strategy and two consultations and a dedicated page on the Adventures in Fiction website including a profile of you and your novel.

IndieReader Discovery Awards

Only books that have been either self-published or published by an independent publisher and have an ISBN or ASN can enter.

Achievement Awards in Writing

All 11th grade students in the current academic school year are eligible to be nominated by their school’s English department. Schools in the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands and American Schools Abroad are eligible. Nominating schools must be US accredited. Participating students submit two types of writing: themed writing (AWA prompt) and best writing. 2021 prompt: My Community. Writing options include poetry, short story, personal narrative, essay, or graphic storytelling. Themed Writing: max 4 pages. Best Witing: max 6 pages.

Promising Young Writers Program

All 8th grade students in the current academic school year are eligible to be nominated by their school’s English department. Schools in the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands and American Schools Abroad are eligible to nominate juniors. Nominating schools must be US accredited. Participating students submit two types of writing: themed writing (AWA prompt) and best writing. 2021 prompt: Change; Amidst isolation in 2020. You may produce any genre, or kind, of writing. Themed Writing: max 4 pages. Best Witing: max 6 pages.

Anchorage Annual Statewide Creative Writing Contest

The contest is open to Alaska residents. College students who maintain Alaska residency may enter. Work published previously in any copyrighted newspaper, magazine, book or other medium is ineligible. Writing for school publications may be entered. Entries must be original. Contestants may enter one work of fiction (not to exceed 5,000 words), one work of non-fiction (not to exceed 5,000 words), and up to three poems. A contestant may enter all categories in his or her age group.

Ambroggio Prize

Any US citizen or resident for the ten-year period prior to the submission deadline can enter. Poets are not eligible to apply if they have studied with the judge in full-time accredited courses within the last three years The manuscript must be originally written in Spanish and accompanied by a translation in English. Poets may translate their own work or collaborate with a translator who may or may not be a poet. The poet and translator must share the $1,000 prize. Poems may have been previously published in periodicals or chapbooks, but the collection must not have been previously published, including self-publications and e-books. The original manuscript in Spanish must contain original poetry by one poet and must be between 48 and 100 pages, typed single-spaced, unless the poems are meant to be presented using nonstandard spacing.

Writing Magazine Dialogue Only Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Entries should be 1,500-1,700 words. Entries must be the original and unpublished work of the entrant which is not currently submitted for publication nor for any other competition or award. There is no limit to the number of entries. Entrants retain copyright in their manuscripts.

Morton and McCarthy Prizes

Open to any short fiction writer in English. Employees and board members of Sarabande Books, Inc. are not eligible. Submissions may include a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a short novel. Works that have previously appeared in magazines or in anthologies may be included.

Hachette Children’s Novel Award

Anyone above 18 and is a permanent resident in the North of England can enter. The Hachette Children’s Novel Award is open to debut writers of middle-grade children’s fiction and early teen fiction. Must be English language fiction for children aged 7-11 (the word count can be 15-40K), or teen fiction for readers aged 11-13 (50-65K words), this should still exclude high-end or explicit content including swearing, sex and drugs. The initial work entered for this award will be a submission of 3000-4000 words. Applicants are not eligible if the work that they are submitting is currently part of a book deal that they have received a publishing contract and advance for.

Northern Writers’ Awards for Poetry

Anyone above 18 and is a permanent resident in the North of England can enter. This award is for English language works of poetry that can be considered as being in progress. Your application can include poems that have been previously published in magazines and anthologies. To enter poets should submit up to 30 poems or an equivalent amount of longer sequences.

Northern Debut Awards: Poetry

Anyone above 18 and is a permanent resident in the North of England can enter. This award is for English language works of poetry that can be considered as being in progress. Poets who have published pamphlets or in magazines and anthologies may apply if they have not published, or are not contracted to publish, a full collection. For prose writers we expect to see an extract of work supported by a synopsis that fully describes the book that you are working to complete. Poets should submit up to 30 poems or an equivalent amount of longer sequences.

Northern Writers’ Awards for Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction

Anyone above 18 and is a permanent resident in the North of England can enter. You may submit novels, novellas and collections of short stories, but not individual short stories. Work that fits in this category includes biography, memoir, nature writing and non-fiction with a strong literary intent. Works of factual, technical, journalistic and scientific writing, local history, travel writing or translation are not eligible for entry. The work that you enter for the awards must be your current work in progress. Length: a sample of 3000–6000 words and a synopsis of up to 600 words.

Northern Debut Awards: Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction

Anyone above 18 and is a permanent resident in the North of England can enter. You may submit novels, novellas and collections of short stories, but not individual short stories. Narrative non-fiction has stylistic and structural similarities to fiction but deals instead with factual or mostly factual subject matter. Works of factual, technical, journalistic and scientific writing, local history, travel writing or translation are not eligible for entry. Writers previously published in other genres such as poetry, academic writing and writing for children may apply for this award. Writers who have self-published full-length works are not considered debut authors for this award. The work that you enter for the awards must be your current work in progress. Length: a sample of 3000–6000 words and a synopsis of up to 600 words.

Sid Chaplin Award

Anyone above 18 and is a permanent resident in the North of England can enter. We accept fiction and narrative non-fiction for this award. Submissions may be on any theme or topic and can include young adult writing, memoir, novels and short story collections, and works of literary essays. They accept fiction from any genre, including literary fiction, crime, science fiction, romance and fantasy. You may submit novels, novellas and collections of short stories, but not individual short stories. Works of factual, technical, journalistic and scientific writing, local history, travel writing or translation are not eligible for entry. The work that you enter for the awards must be your current work in progress. To enter writers should submit a sample of 3000–6000 words and a synopsis.

The Literary Consultancy Free Reads

Anyone above 18 and is a permanent resident in the North of England can enter. We accept poetry, fiction, including children’s and young adult, and narrative non-fiction for these awards. You may submit novels, novellas and collections of short stories, but not individual short stories. Narrative non-fiction has stylistic and structural similarities to fiction but deals instead with factual or mostly factual subject matter. Works of factual, technical, journalistic and scientific writing, local history, travel writing or translation are not eligible for entry. The work that you enter for the awards must be your current work in progress. Length: a sample of 3000–6000 words and a synopsis of up to 600 words.

Arvon Award

Anyone above 18 and is a permanent resident in the North of England can enter. We accept works of fiction of all genres, children’s fiction and creative non-fiction for this award. Narrative non-fiction has stylistic and structural similarities to fiction but deals instead with factual or mostly factual subject matter. Works of factual, technical, journalistic and scientific writing, local history, travel writing or translation are not eligible for entry. The work that you enter for the awards must be your current work in progress. Length: a sample of 3000–6000 words and a synopsis of up to 600 words.

Northumbria University Student and Alumni Award

Anyone above 18, is a permanent resident in the North of England, and is a final-year student or graduate from any discipline at Northumbria University can enter. They accept English language works of poetry, fiction of all genres, children’s fiction, creative non-fiction and graphic novels for this award. Works of factual, technical, journalistic and scientific writing, local history, travel writing, translation or self-publishing projects are not eligible for entry. The work that you enter for the awards must be your current work in progress. To enter writers should submit a sample of 3000–6000 words and a synopsis of up to 600 words.

Word Factory Apprentice Award

Anyone above 18, is a permanent resident in the North of England, and is a final-year student or graduate from any discipline at Northumbria University can enter. They accept English language works of poetry, fiction of all genres, children’s fiction, creative non-fiction and graphic novels for this award. Works of factual, technical, journalistic and scientific writing, local history, travel writing, translation or self-publishing projects are not eligible for entry. The work that you enter for the awards must be your current work in progress. Length: a sample of 3000–6000 words and a synopsis of up to 600 words.

Young Northern Writers’ Awards

Anyone currently living full-time in the North of England and is a young person in Year 7 upwards (up to a maximum of 18 years of age) can enter. There are two age categories, Year 7-9 and Year 10+. Entrants must be 18 years or under on Thursday 26 November 2020 when the awards open. Young writers can submit creative work in any form including prose, poetry, scriptwriting, blogging, songwriting and rap.

Matthew Hale Award

Anyone currently living full-time in the North of England and is a young person in Year 7 upwards (up to a maximum of 18 years of age) can enter. The Matthew Hale Award is open to young writers who show promise but have had limited opportunities to pursue their talent. Young writers can submit creative work in any form including prose, poetry, scriptwriting, blogging, songwriting and rap.

True Story Contest

Anyone can enter. Share a true story from your life. Write a story that shares a moment, an object, a feeling, etc. This does not have to be a profound memory, but should allow readers insight into your feelings, observations and/or thoughts. Use at least 100 words. No poetry.

SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest

All 9-12 high school students in the US can apply. The essay should be 300-500 words of original work. Entrants must write about: “Why must journalists strive to improve diversity and representation in both their coverage and in their newsrooms, and how might this happen?”

Willow Run Poetry Book Award

Anyone can enter. Must be an unpublished English book length collection of poetry of 75 to 100 pages.

Tanka Poetry Contest

Fan story non-fiction writing contest.

Anyone can enter. Submit literary works of non-fiction on any topic. It doesn’t matter if it’s spiritual, political, intellectual, emotional, funny, serious, or an essay about your DVD player. New entries only. Minimum length 500 words. Maximum Length 7,000 words. Recommended length 2,000 – 3,500 words.

Allen & Unwin Crime Fiction Prize

All residents of Australia and New Zealand can enter. Manuscripts must be crime or thriller genres between 60,000 and 120,000 words. The manuscript must be an original work, entirely by the entrant and it must be written in English. It cannot be under consideration by any other publisher or entered into any other award. No more than 10% of the manuscript can have been previously published in print form, or in electronic form, on a commercial basis.

Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition

Anyone can enter. The international competition is open to all – both published and unpublished authors from all over the world – and is for short stories of up to 3,500 words. The story cannot have been previously published anywhere, or shortlisted for this competition.

Acumen International Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. Poems must be original, have a title, be unpublished or not accepted for publication. They should be written in English and not exceed 50 lines.

The Writing Wizardry Competition

Anyone 11 years or under can enter. All you have to do is send us a poem or story of fewer than 500 words.

Inkshares All-Genre Manuscript Contest

Anyone can enter. All genres are accepted.

The Exeter Writers Short Story Competition

The competition is open to anyone (except members of Exeter Writers) writing in any genre except children’s. Stories must not have been previously published nor won a prize in any other competition. If the story has previously been self-published, it must be out of circulation or public reach for the whole of the duration of the competition, up until the winners are announced. You may re-enter a non-winning story that was submitted to the competition in a previous years, but it must have been significantly and substantially revised. Previous prize-winning stories are not eligible for re-entry. Length: 3,000 words max.

Flash 500 Short Stories competition

Anyone can enter. Stories should range between 1,000 and 3,000 words, with strong characters, a well-crafted plot and realistic dialogue (where used).

Fish Publishing Flash Fiction Prize

Anyone can enter. Maximum number of words is 300 and it must be in English. The winning stories must be available for the Fish Anthology and, therefore, must not have been published previously. Fish will hold publishing rights for one year only after publication.

Dream One Quest Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Previously published poems in other contests, books, magazines, etc. are accepted and welcomed as long as they are original works created by the contest entrant(s). All entries must be composed or translated into the English language. Poems must be 30 lines or fewer.

Dream One Quest Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Previously published short stories in other contests, books, magazines, etc. are accepted and welcomed as long as they are original works created by the contest entrant(s). All entries must be composed or translated into the English language. Any fiction, non-fiction, creative non-fiction, essays, diary, journal entries, and short stage-plays and screenplays are accepted within a maximum of (5) pages or less.

Blinkpot Flash Fiction Awards

Anyone above 18 can enter. The entry must be in English and must have been written by the person making the submission. Entries must not have been previously published, broadcast or won a prize. Entries can be on any theme or subject. Maximum entry length is 100 words and minimum length 80.

Reflex Fiction Flash Fiction Competition

Anyone above 16 can enter. Entries must be in Enflish and must be the work of the entrant and must not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere in print or online including blogs or personal websites. Entries must be fiction but can be on any subject, and written in any style or form. No fan fiction or use of copyrighted material, characters, song lyrics etc.

Writing Magazine and QuoScript Novel writing competition

Adult crime fiction and YA fiction authors can enter. Submit your book synopsis, a covering letter and the first chapter of your novel only. Submissions must be wholly your own work, not contain obscene or libellous material, or derive from the work of other authors.

Southword Poetry Prize

Anyone can enter. All poems must be previously unpublished. Works of translation where the original author is still in copyright will require the bios of both the original author and the translator. There is a suggested limit of 40 lines per poem.

The annual Lancaster Writing Award

All students in year 12-13 can enter. Categories: criticism, fiction, poetry, script and screen writing. Students may enter in more than one category and write in any style they wish. The word limit for criticism and fiction is 1500 words.The limit for poems is 25 lines. The limit for screenplays is 8 pages.

Scottish Arts Trust Short Story Competition

Anyone above 16 can enter. Length: 2,000 words or fewer. The entry should not have been previously published, online or in print. Short stories entered for the competition may be on any topic. Stories do not have to be set in Scotland or on Scottish themes but they must be in English.

The Isobel Lodge Award

Anyone above 16, is unpublished, and a resident of Scotland or studying in Scotland can enter. Entry can be published online or in print without compensation can qualify for the Isobel Lodge Award. Writers also qualify if they have self-published a work of fiction. Length: 2,000 words or fewer. The story should not have been previously published, online or in print. Stories do not have to be set in Scotland or on Scottish themes but they must be in English.

Nick Blatchford Occasional Verse Contest

Any Canadian (citizen or resident) can enter. Topic: poems written in response to an existing occasion, personal or public, or poems that make an occasion of something ordinary or by virtue of the poet’s attention. No word limit, must be unpublished nor accepted for publication elsewhere.

15 Syllable Poem

Anyone can enter. Write a poem with exactly 15 syllables.

International Essay Contest for Young People

Guidelines for the 2021 International Essay Contest for Young People will be announced on this website and through the Goi Peace Foundation’s mailing list and facebook page in mid-March 2021.

Nature and Place Poetry Competition

Anyone above 18 can enter. Poems must be no more than 40 lines in English. Poems must be the original work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published or published on online or broadcast.

Hippocrates Young Poets Prize for Poetry and Medicine

Young Poet entrants should be aged 14-18. Poems must be no more than 50 lines in length and not have previously been published in any form. They must be written in English on a medical subject and should not be translations of another writer’s work.

Waxing & Waning Screenplay Contest

Anyone can enter. Screenplays or plays can be up to 25 pages (may be a part of a whole).

City Limits Suspense/Thriller Novel Contest

Anyone can enter. Original work of fiction or non-fiction in English that must be previously unpublished. Word count per chapter should not exceed 3,000 words. Overall, 30,000 word minimum.

City Limits Romance Novel Contest

Elyne mitchell photo story award competition.

Anyone can enter. The theme of the contest is ‘the gathering’. With a maximum of 200 words. Entries must be the entrants original work, unpublished and not acknowledged in any other competitions, and not submited elsewhere until the judging stage.

Bridgend Writers’ Circle Short Story Competition

Anyone above 18 can enter. Story length: 1,500 and 1,800 words. Entries will be accepted provided that they have not previously been broadcast or published in any form and that the story is entirely original, entirely the entrant’s own work and does not infringe the copyright or any other right of any third party. Entries should not be sent for consideration, for publication or broadcast elsewhere during the period of the competition.

The Christopher Tower Poetry Competition

Open to submissions from students between 16-18 years of age who are educated in the UK. Entries must be on written in English, and be no more than 48 lines in length. Entrants must be in full or part-time education at a school, college or other educational institution in the United Kingdom. Each poem must be the entrant’s own work, joint authorship is ineligible.

Deep Wild 2021 Undergraduate Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The entry should be a single poem of up to 70 lines.

100 Word Flash Fiction

Anyone can enter. The entry should be exactly 100 words.

Geographies of Justice: Call for Submissions

Anyone can enter. Poetry/Lyric: no more than 50 lines. Fiction, essays, creative non-fiction and other prose: up to 4000 words. Must hold the rights to the work and must be unpublished.

Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize

Anyone can enter. Entrees should be 750 words or less. They do not accept work that has been previously published in print, online, or any other medium and works in translation.

Fowey Festival Short Story Competition

Anyone above 16 can enter. The title for the competition is “Breaking Point”. Length: max 1500 words. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been previously published, commended, long-listed or short-listed in another writing competition.

Rhyming Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem that has a rhyme scheme. How it rhymes is up to you.

Evesham Festival of Words Short Story Competition

Anyone above 16 can enter. Any genre or subject, must be unpublished and original, aimed at adults only. Length: max 2,500 words.

Fan Story Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Entry should be exactly 150 words.

Nelligan Prize for Short Fiction

Anyone can enter. The stories must be at least 10 pages (or 2500 words) but no more than 50 pages (12,500 words). Stories must be previously unpublished.

Zizzle Literary Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. All entries must be in English and unpublished previously. Must be aimed at young readers from age 11 and above. Length: 500 to 1,000 words. Simultaneous submissions allowed, only if you notify Zizzle.

Apprentice Writer

Only high school students can enter. You can submit poetry, chorepoetry, spoken word submissions, graphic fiction and non-fiction, and prose.

Eludia Award

All women age 40 and above, who do not yet have a book-length publication of fiction, can enter. The author must be unpublished and the entry should be in English.

Fan Story Write A Script Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a script of any size (can be a small script as shown in the example) for any medium on any topic.

New Welsh Writing Awards

Writers from the UK and Ireland as well as those who have been educated in Wales for over six months can enter. Entries should be prose with a Welsh theme or setting and should be an unpublished book (between 5,000 and 30,000 words) in English. Entries this year may vary across the categories, from short form Welsh-themed- or Welsh-set non-fiction to a novella or short story collection set in Wales or with a Welsh theme.

Fan Story Haiku Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Only haiku poems.

Never Such Innocence 2020/21 Competition

Anyone aged 9-18 can enter. The theme is ‘The Unheard Voices of Conflict: Stories from Around the World’. There are four category awards: Poetry, Art, Speech and Song. All poems must have a title and must not exceed 40 lines in length. Speeches must be no longer than 5 minutes (roughly between 625-750 words). All works may be written in any language and should consist of the contestant’s own work and should not infringe any copyrights or any other rights of any third parties.

Fan Story ABC Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a one-stanza, five-line poem.

Fan Story 80 Word Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. The submitted work must be between 78 – 82 words.

Fan Story 6 Word Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem with only 6 words.

The Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest

All Canadians (citizen or resident) can enter. No word limit (2,000 – 2,500 expected), must be unpublished nor accepted for publication elsewhere.

Rubery Book Award

Anyone can enter. Your entry must be a book that is either self-published or published by an independent press.

The Caterpillar Poetry Prize 2021

Anyone above 16 can enter. The poem has to appeal to children aged 7-11 and it must be original and previously unpublished.

National Indie Excellence® Awards (NIEA)

Open to all English language printed books available for sale, including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors. All titles must have an ISBN and be published books available on Amazon.com or wherever good books are sold. No ebooks.

Gemini Magazine Short Story Contest

The ernest hemingway short fiction prize.

Anyone can enter. Entries should be approximately 1500 words or less. Submissions should be unpublished.

The Blue Mountain Novel Award

Anyone can enter. Entries must be original, and in English. It must be of a published novel of any length.

The Writers Of The Future

All amateur writers can enter. Entries must be original works by the entrant, in English. No excessive violence or sex. Entries may not have been previously published in professional media. Entries must be works of prose, up to 17,000 words in length. No poetry, or works intended for children.

An Axe To Grind Flash Short Story Fiction

Anyone can enter. Stories must not exceed 1000 words. Only original, unpublished work may be submitted.

The Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing

The contest is open to first-generation immigrants of their country. Entries should be unpublished and in English (translations welcome). Fiction manuscripts must be complete, a minimum of 45,000 words. non-fiction submissions must consist of either a complete manuscript, or a sample of at least 25,000 words and a detailed proposal.

Fish Publishing Poetry Prize

Anyone can enter. Maximum number of words is 300 and it must be in English. The winning poem must be available for the Fish Anthology and, therefore, must not have been published previously. Fish will hold publishing rights for one year only after publication.

WOW! Women on Writing Creative non-fiction Essay Contest

All women can enter. Entries should be creative non-fiction in English. Maximum words: 1000. Minimum words: 200.

Ada Cambridge Poetry Prize

Anyone above 18 who lives in the state of Victoria can enter. Poems may be in any form about any topic, up to 30 lines. The work must be original, written in English and not have been previously published. It should not have won a prize in any other competition.

Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize

Anyone 18 and above who lives in the state of Victoria can enter. Stories must be biographical. Stories must be between 1000 to 3000 words. The work must be original, written in English and not have been previously published. It should not have won a prize in any other competition.

Young Adas short story prize

Anyone aged 14-18 and living, working or studying in the western suburbs of Melbourne can enter. Enter an original short story up to 1000 words in length. The work must be original, written in English and not have been previously published. It should not have won a prize in any other competition.

Cinnamon Press Poetry Pamphlet Prize

Anyone can enter. Submit 15–25 poems of up to 50 lines each. Individual poems may have been published online or in magazines provided the writer retains the copyright.

Southword Fiction Story Prize

Anyone can enter. There is an upper limit of 5000 words for short stories. Only unpublished work.

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Length limit: 250 lines maximum. Authors from all countries eligible except Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea (due to US government restrictions). The poem you submit should be in English.

Zone 3 Creative Non-Fiction Book Award

Anyone can enter. The competition is open to all authors writing original works in English. Manuscript should be 120-250 pages.

Zone 3 First Book Award in Poetry

Anyone can enter. Only unpublished work of a full-length collection of poems (48 pages or more) is eligible; those with chapbooks may participate. Manuscript should be 48-80 pages.

Fan Story Cinquain Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Entries must adhere to the contest’s syllable specifications.

The Orison Prizes in Poetry & Fiction

Anyone can enter. Must be book-length manuscripts. Submissions should be of full-length poetry and fiction (minimum 30,000 words) manuscripts. Original English work only; no translations.

The American Foreign Service Association’s National High School Essay Contest

Students whose parents are not in the Foreign Service are eligible to participate if they are in grades 9 – 12 in the US, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, or if they are U.S. citizens attending high school overseas including home-schooled students. Previous first-place winners and immediate relatives of directors or staff of the AFSA and Semester at Sea are not eligible to participate. Length: 1,250 words max.

H.E. Bates Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Must be unpublished (except social media) and original and won no prize before. Length: max 2,000 words.

Fan Story Love Poem Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. But it must clearly be a love poem.

Fan Story Dribble Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. The submitted work must be between 48 – 52 words.

Etel Adnan Poetry Prize

Anyone of an Arab heritage can apply. Only first or second full-length books of poetry written in English may be submitted. Chapbooks are not considered as a previous publication in this regard. Manuscripts must be between forty-eight and ninety pages. Individual poems may have been published in chapbooks, journals, and anthologies. Work in translation is not accepted.

Fan Story New Arrival Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. This is a “New Arrival” contest which is designed to welcome new members to the site.

The Colin Sutton Cup for Humour

Anyone can enter. Any genre is acceptable. Each piece should be funny. The first piece should be exactly 1,000 words long. The second piece should be exactly 100 words long. The third piece will be exactly 10 words long. The 4th piece should be exactly one word long. Work to be unpublished and not entered into previous Circle competitions.

Fan Story 20 Word Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem with only 20 words.

Fan Story New Arrival Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a story that uses exactly 100 words.

Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize

Anyone can enter. Manuscripts must be between 48 – 84 pages in length. Individual poems from the manuscript may have been previously published in magazines, anthologies, or chapbooks of less than 25 pages, but the collection, as a whole, must be unpublished.

The Claudia Ann Seaman Awards For Young Writers

High School students from anywhere in the world are eligible to submit original work written in English. Creative writing that was not previously published, can be submitted in the categories of poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction. Submit a maximum of three pieces across the three genres. Poetry, up to 80 lines. Fiction and creative non-fiction must be 1,800 words or less.

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest

Anyone can enter. All countries eligible except Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea (due to US government restrictions). You may submit stories and essays on any theme, up to 6,000 words each. Entries must be in English.

Ware Poets Open Poetry Competition

Anyone 16 and above can enter. Poems should be in English, must not have been published either in print or on a website, nor be currently submitted or accepted for future publication. They must not previously have been awarded a prize in any other competition. Poems must be your own original work and may be on any subject. Length: no longer than 50 lines

Ver Poets Open Competition

Anyone 16 and above can enter. Poems should not have been published, or accepted for publication, in print or online. They should not have won prizes in other competitions, be simultaneously entered for other competitions or be translations of other poets’ work. Poems must be your own original work and may be on any theme. Length: no longer than 30 lines.

FAPA President’s Book Awards

Any English writing author can enter. All entries must be books with a copyright date from 2019 to 2021. Ebooks should be submitted in PDF format

Fan Story Rhyming Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem of any type. But there must be a rhyme scheme.

World Historian Student Essay Competition

Only students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs can apply. Past winners may not compete in the same category again. The entry should be approximately 1,000 words.

The Peseroff Prize Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. There are no restrictions on content or form. Poems should be previously unpublished. Please do not submit your work if you are associated with the MFA program at the University of Massachusetts, Boston or the Finalist Judge.

The Hunger Spring Prose Contest

Anyone can enter. The theme, topic, and style of stories or essays you may submit are completely open. You can submit one story, essay, or hybrid prose piece of up to 5,000 words.

Bristol Short Story Prize

Anyone above 16 can enter. The maximum length of submissions is 4,000 words in English. Stories can be on any theme or subject and are welcome in any style including graphic, verse or genre-base .Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been previously published, in print or online, or broadcast or won a prize in another writing competition.

Fan Story Loop Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Loop Poetry requires that the last word of each line becomes the first word of the next line. The rhyme scheme is abcb.

Fan Story My Faith Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Share a poem that is about your faith or how faith has impacted your life. Any type of poem accepted.

James Laughlin Award

Any US citizen or resident for the ten-year period prior to the submission deadline can enter. Book must be under contract with a U.S. publisher and scheduled to be published between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021.Must be published by December 31, 2021. The author must have published one book of poetry in a standard edition (48 pages or more). Entries must be an English. Submissions are welcome from small presses, university presses, and trade publishers that have previously published at least four books of poetry. Translations and new editions of previously published books are not eligible.

Fan Story Take A Photo Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem about a photo you’ve taken.

Fan Story 20 Syllable Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem that has exactly 20 syllables. Any format.

The Peter Hinchcliffe Fiction Award

All Canadians who haven’t published either a first novel or short story collection can enter. No word limit (2,000 – 5,000 expected), must be unpublished nor accepted for publication elsewhere.

The Bridport Novel Prize

Writers above 16 living in Britain and Ireland and British writers living overseas can enter. Entries must be an exclusive effort and writers must not have previously published a novel, (although self-published and ebooks are accepted). Novel entrants who have had other types of books traditionally published e.g. poetry, memoir, non-fiction, are eligible to submit. Length: between 5,000 to 8,000 words.

The Bridport Short Story Prize

Writers above 16 writing in English can enter. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed in any other competition. Short story length: 5000 words max.

The Bridport Poetry Prize

Writers above 16 writing in English can enter. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed in any other competition. Poetry length: 42 lines max.

The Bridport Flash Fiction Prize

Writers above 16 writing in English can enter. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed in any other competition. Flash fiction length: 250 words max.

Fan Story 3-6-9 Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. This poem has three stanzas. The subject can be anything.

Jane Austen Society Essay Contest

All students in school, university, or graduate school can apply.

Farnham Flash Fiction Competition

Anyone can enter. Story length: 500 words.

Anyone over 16 years old can enter. Entries can be on any theme or subject but must be original and written in English. Only non-fiction and fiction work targeting adults and young adults is eligible. Max length is 300 words. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or won a prize.

Season Themes Contest

Story should be unpublished, from 300 to 1,000 words long.

Writers’ Digest Annual Poetry Writing Competition

Anyone can enter. Due to U.S. Government restrictions they don’t accept entries from Syria, Iran, North Korea, or Crimea. All entries must be in English. Only original works that have not been published (at the time of submission) in print, digital or online publications will be considered. Self-published work in blogs, on social media, etc. will be considered. Length: 32 lines maximum.

Writers’ Digest Annual Writing Competition

Anyone can enter. All entries must be in English. Only original works that have not been published (at the time of submission) in print, digital or online publications, Self-published work, unproduced scripts. Entries in the Print or Online Article category may be previously published.

Fan Story Nonet Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. It has to be a nonet, but it can be on any subject and rhyming is optional.

Ocean Awareness Contest

All students aged 11 – 18 can apply. All entries must be original work in English and not previously submitted. Students ages 11-14 may enter the Junior Division (Creative Writing: up to 750 words; Poetry & Spoken Word: no more than 1 page). Students ages 15-18 may enter the Senior Division (Creative Writing: up to 1,250 words; Poetry & Spoken Word: no more than 2 pages).

Fan Story Share A Story In A Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. In this contest you are challenged to write a poem that tells a story and also rhymes.

Fan Story 2-4-2 Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a 2-4-2 syllable poem. The subject can be anything.

7 Day Story Writing Challenge

All participants must follow the same theme with a short story of no more than 2,000 words, written in the genre assigned to them. Participants have exactly 7 days to write and submit their story.

Wild Words Competition

Anybody can enter. The entry should not have been previously published anywhere.

Drue Heinz Literature Prize

Open to writers who have published a novel or a book-length collection of fiction in English. Current University of Pittsburgh employees and students, and former employees and students affiliated with the University within the last three years, are not eligible. Translations are not eligible if the translation was not done by the author. Eligible submissions include an unpublished manuscript of short stories; two or more novellas (a novella may comprise a maximum of 130 double-spaced typed pages); or a combination of one or more novellas and short stories. Novellas are only accepted as part of a larger collection. Length: 150 – 300 pages.

North Street Book Prize

Anyone can enter except those from Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea (due to US government restrictions). Length limit: 200,000 words maximum in English. You may submit a collection of short stories or essays as a single entry.

The Bulwer Lytton Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Must be original and unpublished. Each entry must consist of a single sentence. The entry shouldn’t go beyond 50 or 60 words.

Flash 500 Flash Fiction Competition

Anyone can enter. Submit manuscripts up to 500 words.

All amateur writers can enter. Entries must be original works written in English. No excessive violence or sex. Entries may not have been previously published in professional media outlets. They must be works of prose of up to 17,000 words in length. No poetry, or works intended for children.

#GWstorieseverywhere

Anyone can enter. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag #GWstorieseverywhere. Your stories (which can be true or made up) will be inspired by what you see, know, or do, and they should relate in some way to June’s theme: Split second.

Geek Partnership Writing Contest

All entries must be original unpublished works by nonprofessional (amateur) authors. Entries must be science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural, and alternate history in short fiction, poetry, or comics. You may only enter one short fiction division.

The Orison Chapbook Prize

Anyone can enter. Must be manuscripts of 20-45 pages, in any genre (poetry, fiction, non-fiction, or hybrid). Original English work only; no translations. Individual poems, stories, or essays—or excerpts—may have been previously published in periodicals and/or chapbooks, but the manuscript as a whole must not have been published in book form, whether digital or in print. Self-published manuscripts are not eligible.

Story should be unpublished and from 300 to 1,000 words long.

She Writes Press and SparkPress Toward Equality in Publishing

Open to any woman over the age of 18 from Canada and the US.

Student Book Scholars Contest

The contest is open to students upto 8th grade. Each book must be between 20 and 30 pages. One book entry per team. Both the text and art must be solely created by the students. Each entry must incorporate the theme of Anti-Bullying. Student teams can have a minimum of one and a maximum of ten students per project.

Narrative’s Annual Poetry Contest

The contest is open to all poets. Each entry may contain up to five poems. The poems should all be contained in a single file. You may enter as many times as you wish.

Anthology Magazine Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Stories submitted must be on the theme of ‘Memories’ in English. To enter, submit an original, unpublished short story, written in English on the subject of ‘Memories’ with a maximum of 1,500 words.

Polar Expressions National Poetry and Short-Story Contest

Any Canadian resident or citizen can enter. There are two seperate prize categories: 1) ages 16 and above, and 2) ages 15 and under. All work must be original. Entries should not have been previously published and no simultaneous submissions. Poems must be 48 lines or less. Short stories must be 750 words or less. Fanfiction and essays are not permitted. Entries should be in English or accompanied by an English translation.

Highlands & Islands Short Story Association

Any amateur author can enter. Any theme (unusual story lines preferred), must be unpublished and original and won no prize before. Short Story length: max 2,000 words. Flash Fiction length: max 500 words.

Fiction Factory First Chapter Competition

Anyone over 16 years old can enter. Stories must be original and unpublished in print or websites. Must be written in English with a maximum of 5,000 words. All genres will be accepted except children’s and young adult fiction.

Anyone can enter. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag #GWstorieseverywhere. Your stories (which can be true or made up) will be inspired by what you see, know, or do, and they should relate in some way to July’s theme: Staycation.

Spring 2020 Story Contest

Entries must be previously unpublished, no longer than 15,000 words, and must not have been previously chosen as a winner, finalist, or honorable mention in another contest.

The Grindstone Short Story Prize

Anyone above 18 can enter. Writers are asked to submit an English language piece of short fiction between 1000 and 3000 words, of any genre, aimed at adult readers.

Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Writing Competition

Anyone can enter. Theme: courage. Length: maximum 1,000 words. Stories can be a fictional tale or a fictional tale inspired by a true story.

The Orison Anthology Awards

Anyone can enter. Submissions are for single works in 3 genres (poetry, fiction, an non-fiction). Submit up to 3 poems (10 pp. max), 1 story (up to 8,000 words), or 1 work of non-fiction (up to 8,000 words). You may submit in multiple genres, and/or submit multiple entries in each genre.

The Annual Diode Editions Poetry Contest

Open to all poets over the age of 18. Length: 25-50 pages.

The Annual Diode Editions Full-Length Book Contest

Open to all poets over the age of 18. Length: 55-85 pages.

Twist & Twain Short Story Contest

Anyone 18 and above can enter. The story must be written originally in the English language and should not exceed the 4000-word limit.

Gemini Magazine Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Maximum 1,000 words.

Aesthetica Poetry Creative Writing Award

Anyone can enter. Poetry entries should be no more than 40 lines. They accept works on any theme.

Aesthetica Short Story Creative Writing Award

Anyone can enter. Fiction entries should be no more than 2,000 words. They accept works on any theme.

Anyone can enter. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag #GWstorieseverywhere. Your stories (which can be true or made up) will be inspired by what you see, know, or do, and they should relate in some way to August’s theme: Forgiven.

Blue Mesa Review Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Must be in English, unpublished original work, simultaenous submissions acceptable. Please submit a packet of up to 3 poems or up to 6,000 words of prose.

University of New Orleans Press Lab Prize

Full length works of fiction (novels and short story collections only) are eligible.

Coniston Prize for Women Poets

All women can enter. Submit 3-6 previously unpublished poems in English. This award recognizes an exceptional group of poems.

Tiny Fork Chapbook Series Contest

Anyone can enter. We welcome poetry, prose, and hybrid manuscripts of 15-40 pages. Fiction (1 to 5,000 words), poetry (3-5 poems, in one document), non-fiction (1 to 5,000 words), hybrid/rxperimental (no specified word count).

Impress Prize

Open to all writers. Writers submit a 6,000 word sample of their manuscript, a synopsis, publishing rationale, and author biography to Impress.

Adventures in Fiction New Voices Competition

Anyone can enter. This competition is aimed at writers who have completed at least 50 pages/16,000 words of their manuscript. To enter, submit the first page of your novel and a one-page synopsis.

Robert Watson Literary Prize

Anyone who is an active Greensboro Review subscriber can enter. Entries must be previously unpublished. No simultaneous submissions. Length restrictions: no more than 7,500 words or 25 pages for fiction; up to 500 words for flash fiction; up to 10 pages for poetry.

The Annual SiWC Writing Contest

Short stories in any genre are welcome. Story length must be from 2,500 to 4000 words.

The Lascaux Prize in Creative Nonfiction

Creative nonfiction may include memoirs, chronicles, personal essays, humorous perspectives, literary journalism—anything the author has witnessed, experienced, learned, or discovered. Writers may enter more than once. Length should not exceed 10,000 words. All topics are welcome; pieces should be written in a nonacademic style.

Miller Williams Poetry Prize

Anyone can enter. Length: Manuscripts must be between sixty and ninety pages. The manuscript must be previously unpublished. Individual poems may have been published in chapbooks, journals, and anthologies. Work in translation is not accepted.

Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter except those from Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea (due to US government restrictions). Length limit: 250 lines maximum per poem. The entry should be your own original work and in English. You may submit the same poem simultaneously to this contest and to others, and you may submit poems that have been published or won prizes elsewhere. (However, please do not submit work that has previously received recognition at Winning Writers.)

The Grindstone Novel Prize

Anyone above 18 can enter. Writers are asked to submit an English language novel aimed at Young Adult or Adult audiences. To be eligible, the finished (or projected finished) length must exceed 70,000 words. Works in progress are accepted in this competition, and entries may be of any genre. Entrants are asked to submit the opening 3,000 words, accompanied by a short synopsis in the same file.

Embracing Our Differences Quotation Contest

Anyone can enter. Entries can be no longer than 20 words on embracing our differences. Please consider submitting an original quotation.

Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award

Only previously unpublished original collection of poetry are eligible. The entry should be a minimum of 48 pages and not exceed 96 pages.

Flash 500 Novels competition

Anyone can enter. Entries may have appeared online in private (password protected) peer review sites, but should not have been published in any commercial online form including blogs or personal websites or accepted for publication elsewhere. Chapters must not exceed 3,000 words and must be accompanied by a one page synopsis of the balance of the story. Entries must be in English.

Edwin Markham Prize For Poetry

Anyone can enter. Writers may submit up to five (5) poems per submission.

The Gabriele Rico Challenge for Nonfiction

Anyone can enter. Writers may submit pieces of up to 5,000 words.

John Steinbeck Award for Fiction

Daisy pettles women’s writing contest.

All women writers, age 40 or older.

The Lascaux Prize in Short Fiction

Stories may be previously published or unpublished. Simultaneous submissions are also accepted.

The Devon and Cornwall International Novel Prize

Anyone above 18 years old can enter. Entries should be in English and in any genre. Submissions must be unpublished, self-published and independently published by writers worldwide. They should be 5,000 words in addition to a one-page synopsis of the novel’s manuscript. Children genres won’t be accepted.

Anyone can enter. Manuscripts should be up to 500 words long.

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

Teens in grades 7–12 (ages 13 and up) can apply. Critical essay: 500-3,000 words. Dramatic Script: 500-3,000 word. Flash Fiction: 1,000 words. Humor: 500-3,000 words. Journalism: 500-3,000 words. Novel Writing: Up to 3,000 words. Personal Essay & Memoir: 500-3,000 words. Poetry: 20–200 lines. Science Fiction & Fantasy: 500-3,000 words. Short Story: 500-3,000 words.

Lloyd Davies Philosophy Prize

Entrants should be in Year 12 (or equivalent) at their school or college.

Young Lions Fiction Award

The writer must be age 35 or younger and must be a US citizen. The book must be written for adults (no children’s or YA). The work must be either a novel or a collection of short stories published between January 2020 and December 2020. The publisher must submit all books. Authors may not submit their work on their own.

Princeton 10-Minute Play Contest

All entrants must be students in the eleventh grade in the U.S. (or international equivalent of the eleventh grade).

We the Students Essay Contest

All students who are legal US residents or citizens, older than 14 and younger than 19, may apply. Stay tuned for updates on the 2021 contest prompt.

The Alpine Fellowship Academic Writing Prize

Anyone 18 and above can enter. Awarded for the best piece of academic essay writing on the theme of the 2021 Alpine Fellowship. A maximum of 4000 words per entry. Text must not have been published, self-published or accepted for publication in print or online, or have won or been placed in another competition at any time.

The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize

Anyone 18 and above can enter. Awarded for the best piece of writing on the theme of the 2021 Alpine Fellowship Annual Symposium. All genres permitted. A maximum of 2,500 words per entry. Text must not have been published, self-published or accepted for publication in print or online, or have won or been placed in another competition at any time (including the Alpine Fellowship Academic Writing Prize).

This year we’ve done you one better and increased the writing contests we found. So if you find yourself struggling to write, or lacking in recognition, here are 300 reasons to be more motivated to write. Yes, they might not all be for you, but one of these might just give you the inspirational kick you’ve been searching for.

The 2024 International Book Fairs Calendar

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After weeks of deliberating over the right words and fine-tuning your creative nonfiction piece , you’re ready to begin submitting to literary nonfiction journals. The only problem is finding the right home for your creative nonfiction submission. What journals or literary nonfiction magazines should you prioritize submitting your work to?

Find your answer here: we’ve searched the net for great creative nonfiction journals, and any of the following 24 publications is a wonderful home for creative nonfiction—guaranteed.

If you’re looking to submit multiple genres of work, take a look at the best places to submit poetry and the best places to submit fiction , too!

24 Creative Nonfiction Magazines to Submit To

Just like our other guides on the best literary journals to submit to, we’ve divided this article into three different categories:

• Great journals to secure your first publications in
• Competitive journals for writers with previous publications
• High-tier creative nonfiction journals at the summit of publishing

Any publication in the following 24 journals is sure to jumpstart your literary career. So, let’s explore the best nonfiction magazines and journals!

Creative Nonfiction Magazines: Great First Publications

The following eight journals sponsor creative nonfiction from both emerging and established writers, making them great opportunities for writers in any stage of their journey.

1. Sundog Lit

Sundog Lit loves the weird and experimental, and it regularly seeks innovative nonfiction for its biannual journal. All submitted works should be well-researched and play with both form and content. Submit your hybrid content to this great creative nonfiction journal!

2. River Teeth Journal

River Teeth Journal specializes in narrative nonfiction. The journal operates with the motto “Good Writing Counts and Facts Matter,” which captures their preference for well-researched and thoughtfully composed CNF. Literary nonfiction submissions are open twice a year, typically between September and May.

3. Atticus Review

Atticus Review posts daily nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. They publish work that is unabashed and resilient, finding hope in even the toughest of situations. All published works after September 19th, 2020 receive a $10 award from this creative nonfiction journal!

4. Barren Magazine

Barren Magazine publishes nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and photography, preferring works with grit and muster. Each publication of this creative nonfiction magazine includes prompts: for their 17th issue, the prompts are “unorthodox, sensational, kinetic, quixotic, & transcendent.”

5. The Offing

The editors at The Offing look for work that’s innovative, genre-bending, and challenges conventions. The Offing is especially keen to support both new and established authors, making them a welcome home for your creative nonfiction submissions.

6. Crazy Horse

Crazy Horse sponsors emerging and diverse voices in its biannual publication. Submissions for this journal remain open between September and May, and they typically range between 2,500 and 5,000 words. This is a great literary journal to submit to for writers of all styles and narratives!

7. Dogwood: a Journal of Poetry and Prose

Dogwood is a journal of poetry and prose based out of Fairfield University. This annual publication only opens for submissions in the Fall, and each edition includes prizes for top pieces. Literary nonfiction from all walks of life are welcome here.

8. Montana Mouthful

Straight out of the Treasure State, Montana Mouthful seeks “just a mouthful” of fiction and nonfiction. Creative nonfiction submissions should not exceed 2,000 words but should still deliver a cogent, memorable story.

Creative Nonfiction Magazines: Reputable Literary Journals to Submit To

The following literary magazines and creative nonfiction journals can be tough competition, but with a few previous publications under your belt and a special story ready for print, the following journals could jumpstart your literary career. All of these journals have fantastic literary nonfiction examples!

9. Conjunctions

Conjunctions publishes daring works of poetry and prose, living by its motto to “Read Dangerously!” Submitted works should provoke, excite, and linger with the reader. Conjunctions publishes both a biannual magazine and a weekly online journal, both of which house fantastic literary journalism.

10. Black Warrior Review

Black Warrior Review is a biannual literary journal run by the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. This Whiting Awarded journal nurtures groundbreaking literary nonfiction, fiction, and poetry, with many of its authors going on to win Pushcarts and Best of the Net prizes!

11. Hippocampus

Hippocampus Magazine is one of the best creative nonfiction magazines out there, as it focuses solely on the publication of personal essays and nonfiction stories. Their strictly digital publication is highly literary and has many great creative nonfiction examples and pieces. Despite being a highly competitive journal, both new and emerging writers can find a home at Hippocampus .

12. American Literary Review

The American Literary Review , run out of the University of North Texas, publishes engaging and precise stories and poetry. The journal is currently on hiatus, but read some of its back issues and you’ll understand why it’s a great literary journal to submit to.

13. Fourth Genre

Fourth Genre is a biannual creative nonfiction journal published through Michigan State University. The journal amplifies diverse and powerful voices, seeking stories that are refreshing, earnest, and imaginative. Fourth Genre only publishes nonfiction, so read its back issues for some great creative nonfiction examples!

14. The Cincinnati Review

The Cincinnati Review is interested in literary nonfiction that can “knock your socks off.” Submissions for personal essays are open between September and January; writers can also submit flash nonfiction year-round to its miCRo series.

15. Creative Nonfiction

“True stories, well told” is the motto of Creative Nonfiction , the aptly-named journal of all things CNF. Creative Nonfiction celebrates a diverse range of voices and experiences, championing both new and established essayists. Between its literary publications and its creative nonfiction blog, writers can learn a lot from this journal. Send your creative nonfiction submissions to Creative Nonfiction !

16. Witness

Witness publishes prose and poetry that examines and analyzes the modern day. They seek stories about modern issues and events, often publishing bold and eclectic takes on serious issues. Witness is a more politically-oriented journal, making it a leader in contemporary literary journalism.

Creative Nonfiction Magazines: The Summit of Literary Nonfiction

The following journals are notoriously difficult to publish in, as writers often have to have a name built for themselves in the literary world. Nonetheless, the following publications exist at the summit of CNF, so keep these publications on your radar as top literary journals to submit to.

AGNI , a highly literary publication run at Boston University, publishes fiery, transformative prose and poetry. Creative nonfiction submissions should be polished, inventive, and highly original. Be sure to read their previous publications for an idea of what they look for!

18. The Atlantic

The Atlantic is well-respected for its literary journalism, making it a premier publisher of creative nonfiction. Though many of its published pieces are solicited, The Atlantic is always looking for fresh, bold stories and poetry, so it’s a premier place for nonfiction magazine submissions.

Salon does not present itself as a creative nonfiction journal, but many of its previous magazine issues are highly literary in nature, examining current issues with a sharp, educated lens. If you have nonfiction stories that are both personal and global in nature, Salon accepts queries for articles and editorials, so check them out!

20. The Antioch Review

The Antioch Review is a real page-turner, as their past publications can attest to. This highly literary journal publishes fantastic prose and poetry, and if you have a creative nonfiction piece that’s riveting and influential, The Antioch Review is looking for your creative nonfiction submissions.

21. The Colorado Review

The Colorado Review is a tri-annual publication steeped in history, with original issues featuring poetry and prose from Langston Hughes, E. E. Cummings, Henry Miller, etc. The journal is committed to contemporary literature, seeking voices that are transformative and capture today’s (or tomorrow’s) zeitgeist. The Colorado Review is a fantastic space for literary journalism and will certainly welcome your creative nonfiction.

22. The Virginia Quarterly

The Virginia Quarterly publishes a wide array of literary nonfiction, fiction, and poetry, promising both ample readership and ample pay. VQR seeks inventive and imaginative stories, and it accepts both personal essays and nonfiction pieces on literary and cultural criticism. Submissions are generally open in July, but keep tuned for any special announcements or brief reading periods!

23. New England Review

New England Review is a quarterly publication of all things literary. The journal is dedicated to publishing both emerging and established voices, though it remains a highly competitive journal for creative nonfiction. NER is a great literary journal to submit to for stories that are engaged, critical, and sparkling.

24. North American Review

The North American Review is the oldest literary magazine in the United States. Since its inception in 1815, it remains one of the best nonfiction magazines to submit to, publishing strong literary voices with imaginative story arcs and moving messages. Nonfiction magazine submissions at North American Review are always spectacular—go check them out!

Tips for Publishing Your Creative Nonfiction Submissions

“How do I get my nonfiction published with so many other voices in the room?” This is a question we hear often, and as writers in the modern day, we can’t help but notice how diverse the publishing world is, and how everything “has already been written.” How can you make sure your story gets published in the right creative nonfiction magazines?

Of course, no story is guaranteed publication, but if you’ve written an earnest, sparkling story with grit, character, and truth, then the right literary journals to submit to are in this list. Additionally, you can boost your chances of success with the following publishing tips:

Start With a Powerful Title

Your creative nonfiction submissions should draw the reader in right away, which means starting with an attention-grabbing title. Your title could be a singular and obscure word, or it could be a long description, or anything in-between—the goal is to stand out while representing your story faithfully.

Here are some great titles we saw from a brief glance at the literary nonfiction examples from Hippocampus :

• Bar Bathroom Graffiti in New Orleans: A One Year Catalog by Kirsten Reneau
• Necrokedeia for Children by Mark Hall
• Ford Motor Company Tells Me About Perseverance by Alexis Annunziata

These titles give you an idea about the story itself while also drawing you in with wit, humor, or obscurity. Literary editors have thousands of stories to read each year; give them something to notice so you can stand out among the rest!

Follow the Creative Nonfiction Journal’s Formatting Guidelines

A surefire way to receive rejections on your literary nonfiction is to ignore the formatting guidelines. Each journal has its own requirements, though they often align with MLA formatting requirements, but be sure you follow the journal’s instructions faithfully, or else they may discard your submission without even reading it.

Read the Creative Nonfiction Magazine’s Past Issues

The 24 publications mentioned in this article are some of the best nonfiction magazines in the world, in part because they adhere so strongly to their tastes and preferences. As such, no two journals are alike, and each publication has its own expectations for the nonfiction they read and publish. Before you submit your creative nonfiction, be sure to read some past publications and gauge whether your essay will fit in with the journal’s literary tastes.

Keep Track of Your Submissions

Many creative nonfiction journals allow simultaneous submissions, meaning you can submit the same piece to multiple journals. However, if one journal accepts your work, you need to notify the other journals that it has been accepted and is no longer available for consideration.

Keeping track of your creative nonfiction submissions in a spreadsheet or personal organizer is essential: if multiple journals publish your story, it could harm your chances of getting published in the future.

Aim High—But Not Too High

Your personal essay deserves to be read, but if you’re only submitting to journals like VQR or The Atlantic, it might never see the light of day. Part of the publishing process means building your publication history and portfolio.

Your literary journalism will one day get published in Salon or the New York Times, but until then, focus on getting recognized in smaller and medium sized journals—and don’t let rejections bring you down, because it’s only up from here!

Fine-Tune Your Creative Nonfiction Submissions with Writers.com

Looking for extra help on writing your personal essay, lyric essay, or hybrid nonfiction piece? The instructors at Writers.com are ready to assist you. Gain valuable insight and diverse perspectives on your nonfiction stories before submitting them to the 24 creative nonfiction magazines we’ve listed.

Good luck, and happy writing!

Sean Glatch

This is a very well written, informative and inclusive article, and I will follow up. The art piece is wonderful.

Here is another market that pays authors https://www.authormag.com/paying-market/

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Find details about every creative writing competition—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and more—that we’ve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

Find a home for your poems, stories, essays, and reviews by researching the publications vetted by our editorial staff. In the Literary Magazines database you’ll find editorial policies, submission guidelines, contact information—everything you need to know before submitting your work to the publications that share your vision for your work.

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Find a home for your poems, stories, essays, and reviews by researching the publications vetted by our editorial staff and listed in the Literary Magazines database. Here you’ll find editorial policies, submission guidelines, and contact information—everything you need to determine which publications match your vision for your writing and your writing life. Use the filters below to find magazines with reading periods that are open now or opening soon (within the next thirty days), accept unsolicited submissions, and match all of your criteria for the perfect publisher of your work.

The same work by the same author may not win multiple contests. However, different works by the same author are eligible to win different awards.

Submission of any entry grants the English Department permission to reprint and distribute that work (credited to you) in the event that it wins a prize.

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Submit to the creative writing prizes.

Each spring the Department of English and Creative Writing awards cash prizes for undergraduate writing in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Submissions are now open!

from Joseph-Balthazar Sylvestre's Alphabet Album via the Public Domain Review

This year's judge will be Asako Serizawa. Asako Serizawa was born in Japan and grew up in Singapore, Jakarta, and Tokyo. A graduate of Tufts University, Brown University, and Emerson College, she has received two O. Henry Prizes, a Pushcart Prize, a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Award, and a fiction fellowship from the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown. Her first book, INHERITORS, won the PEN/Open Book Award and The Story Prize Spotlight Award. It was also longlisted for the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize. A Spanish translation of INHERITORS is forthcoming from Tusquets Editores S.A. (Colección Andanzas).

SUBMISSION DETAILS

• The deadline for submissions is Friday, April 23, 2021 at 4:00 PM ET (Eastern Daylight Time) .
• Please use a cover sheet to indicate your name, your entry titles, and the prizes for which you would like your work considered.
• Please save your work as a PDF.
• Please save your PDF as lastname_firstname_2021.pdf (e.g., Shakespeare_William_2021.pdf)
• Email your submission as a PDF to [email protected] .
• Fiction and creative nonfiction submissions are limited to one short story, or one nonfiction piece, or one chapter of a book length manuscript not to exceed 20 double-spaced typewritten pages along with a one-page synopsis of the book.
• This writing contest is open to all Dartmouth undergraduate students.
• The prize winners will be announced on May 25, 2021.

Creative Writing Prizes for Undergraduates

These prizes are awarded at the annual Creative Writing Awards ceremony each May. Please see the next section for submission details.

• The Sidney Cox Memorial Prize:

The Sidney Cox Memorial Prize is offered annually for that piece of undergraduate writing which most nearly meets those high standards of originality and integrity which Sidney Cox set for himself and for his students in his teaching and in his book, Indirections for Those Who Want to Write.  Any kind of undergraduate writing in English may be submitted; there is no limit to the amount or variety of the material that any individual may submit; and the award is not limited to students majoring or minoring in English.

•   Academy of American Poets Prize:

 The Academy of American Poets Prize is offered for the best poem or group of poems.

• Jacobson-Laing Award in Poetry:

The Alexander Laing Memorial Writing Award will be given to an undergraduate for the "best manuscript of original poems."

• Lockwood Prize:

Competition for the Lockwood Prize is open to undergraduates classified as Junior. Any form of writing except plays may be submitted. A group of short poems may be considered as one manuscript.

• Grimes Prize:

Competition for the Grimes Prize is open to undergraduates classified as Senior. Any form of writing except plays may be submitted. A group of short poems may be considered as one manuscript.

• The William C. Spengemann Award in Writing:

The William C. Spengemann Award in Writing is given for a work of prose or poetry distinguished by its formal precision, as well as its original, innovative, or iconoclastic approach to its subject matter.

• The Mecklin Prize:

 The Mecklin Prize is for the best student writing in creative nonfiction or journalism. 

• The Erskine Caldwell Prize:

The Erskine Caldwell prize is awarded to a student(s) whose written work in the short story is most outstanding.  

25 Writing Contests and Publication Opportunities for Teens

Portrait of Emilio Terry by Salvador Dalí (detail, 1935).

NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID: 1564999

Are you an aspiring writer, creative artist, scientist or a future scholar? The following list of twenty-five publishing platforms provides teens with opportunities for recognition in those fields. Submitting your work for review and publication can channel your creative energy into a meaningful and rewarding project. Additionally, working on your writing will improve your research and organizational skills. Participating in a contest, or having your work published, is also a factor in college admissions decisions.

In estimating the amount of work each submission requires, be mindful of all provided deadlines. Notice that most essay submissions require a bibliography. If you are tackling an essay with an assigned topic, take advantage of the Library's Research resources. This guide to Remote Research Resources will provide you with guidance on how to use the Library's electronic resources from home. If you are working on composing an oratory, or any other piece of polemical writing, take a look at How to Research for a Debate Using Library Resources . Aspiring poets can consult Columbia Granger's World of Poetr y, a premier poetry online resource. Young artists can draw inspiration from the wealth of imagery in our Digital Collections . The Library encourages everyone to get creative with our public domain collection of digital images. If you are inserting a quotation into your text, learn How to Research a Quotation . Don't forget to attend the Library's events , as they frequently include writing workshops and book discussions . If you have any additional reference questions ,or want to see the full extent of remote research opportunities, take a look at our guide to Remote Collections and Services.

For additional guidance and inspiration, please see the short list of books provided below.

The Writer's Practice: Building Confidence in Your Nonfiction Writing by John Warner

Wired for Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence by Lisa Cron

Singing School: Learning to Write (and Read) Poetry with the Masters by Robert Pisnky

Writers's Idea Book by Jack Heffron

Barron's Painless Writing by Jeffrey Strausser

How to Write Better Essays by Bryan Greetham

You Can Write a Play! by Milton E. Polsky

The Artist's Way: a Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron

Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss

Apprentice Writer

Susquehanna University and the Writers Institute initiative invite high school students to submit fiction, memoir, personal essay , poetry and photography for the thirty-ninth volume of Apprentice Writer , which will be published in the fall of 2021 

Deadline:  submissions are accepted from September 15 , 2020 to March 15 2021

Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest 

The Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest provides scholarship, prizes, and recognition for the best poems submitted by young women who are sophomores or juniors in high school or preparatory school. No more than two poems per student. For details and prizes please see the contest webpage . 

Deadline: October 31, 2020 

Leonard l. Milberg ’53 High School Poetry Prize

The Leonard L. Milberg ’53 High School Poetry Prize recognizes outstanding work by student writers in the eigth grade in the U.S. or abroad. Contest judges are poets on the Princeton University Creative Writing faculty, which includes Michael Dickman, Paul Muldoon, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, James Richardson, Tracy K. Smith, Susan Wheeler, Jenny Xie, and Monica Youn.

Deadline: to be announced. For the latest information and updates, you can subscribe to a newsletter . 

Rattle Young Poets Anthology

Young Poets Anthology is looking for poem submissions from authors that are 15, and younger. Poets can use their whole name, first name or a pseudonym. Poems could be submitted by students that are younger than 18, teachers, parents and guardians. 

Deadline:  Submission for 2020 accepted until November 16, 2020.

Society of Classical Poets High School Poetry Competition

Invites classic poetry lovers ages 13 to 19 to submit up to 3 metered poems, limited to 108 lines.  Poems must contain meter. Counting the number of syllables and ensuring there are a similar number in each line is sufficient. Society offers a very useful tutorial on  writing poetry with a meter. To learn how to write poetry with a meter, see a brief beginner’s guide on common iambic meter here or a more elaborate beginner’s guide to many kinds of meter here .

Deadline: December 31, 2020

The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers   

The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers recognizes outstanding young poets and is open to high school sophomores and juniors throughout the world. The contest winner receives a full scholarship to the Kenyon Review Young Writers workshop. In addition, the winning poem and the poems of the two runners-up will be published in the Kenyon Review, one of the country’s most widely read literary magazines.

Deadline : Submissions accepted between November 1 and November 30

Bennington College Young Writers Awards 

Students in 9th-12th grades, residing anywhere in the world, are invited to submit original works in three categories. Poetry requires a submission of three poems. Category of Fiction accepts short stories or a one-act play. There is a separate nonfiction essay category. Please notice that only original writing is accepted, and all  work has to be sponsored by a high school teacher. For further details, carefully read the submission rules.  

Deadline: Submissions for 2020 are accepted from September 3 to November 1 

Claudia Ann Seaman Awards for Young Writers 

High School students from anywhere in the world are eligible to submit original work written in English. Creative writing that was not previously published, can be submitted in the categories of poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. For further detail and submissions guidelines read the rules of the context. In addition to creative writing, you can submit cover art for Polyphony magazine. 

Deadline: Check the website for the latest writing deadlines. Deadline for cover art submission is April 30th.   

SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest 

In order to increase high school students' knowledge and understanding of the importance of independent media in our lives, Sigma Delta Chi Foundation of the Society of Professional Journalist and the Journalism Education Association invites students enrolled in grades 9-12 in US public, private and home schools , to submit an essay on a given topic.  National winners of this essay contest will receive a scholarship award. Topic for 2020 will be released in November. 

Deadline : February 22 

Achievement Award in Writing 

National Council of Teachers of English is offering an Achievement Award in Writing to High School Juniors in the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands, and accredited American Schools abroad. Students must be nominated by their school's English department and should submit one themed essay and a sample of their best writing. 

Deadline:  Submissions for 2021 are open from November 15 to February 15. Theme for the essay is available at the time of publication ( October 2020) 

Teen Ink Magazine 

A national teen magazine devoted to teenage writing, art, photos and forums, offers an opportunity to publish creative work and opinions on issues that affect their lives of teens. Hundreds of thousands of students aged 13-19, have submitted their work. Teen Ink magazine has published the creative output of over 55,000 teens. Teens can submit an article, poetry, book, novel, photo or a video though this link.

Deadline: none

Princeton University Ten Minute Play Contest 

Eligibility for the annual playwriting contest is limited to students in the 11th grade in the U.S , or an international equivalent of the 11th grade. Jury consists of members of the Princeton University Program in Theater faculty. 

Deadline: Information regarding submission will be provided in late Fall of 2020.

Youth Plays 

Unpublished one-act plays from authors younger than 19 years of age are accepted for submission. Plays should feature youth characters and be suitable for school production. For detailed submission guidelines and helpful advice visit Youth Plays website. 

Deadline: Next opportunity for submission will open up in early 2021.

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards has the largest selection of opportunities for creative self-expression. With twenty eight categories, ranging from poetry to the entire writing portfolio, young artists and writers can choose from a plethora of opportunities. For the latest updates, rules , and information on how to enter, register with Scholastic. Don't forget to view the Gallery of Winning Entries . To participate in the Awards, you must be a student in grades 7–12, age 13 years or older, residing in the United States, U.S. territories or military bases, or Canada.

Deadlines vary by category, with submissions windows between September to December. 

National Young Arts Foundation Competition

Young Arts' signature program is an application-based award for emerging artists ages 15-18, or in grades 10-12. Open to students in a variety of different disciplines, including visual arts, writing, and music, National Young Arts Foundation  Competition  asks students to submit a portfolio of work.

Deadline: October 16 , 2020

World Historian Student Essay Competition  

World History Association invites international students enrolled in grades K-12 in public, private and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs to participate in a writing competition that celebrates the study of history. Each competitor will submit an essay that addresses the issue: In what way has the study of world history affected my understanding of the world in which we live ? For further details on submission guidelines, visit World History Association.  

Deadline: May 1

The Concord Review

This unique publication is the only quarterly journal in the world to publish academic history papers of secondary students. The Concord Review accepts history research papers (about 8,500 words with endnotes and bibliography ) of high school students from anywhere in the world. There is no theme, and papers on every period of history anywhere in the world are accepted. For specific rules and regulators, see the submission guidelines. 

Deadline: essay are accepted on a rolling admissions basis.

George S. & Stella M. Knight Essay Contest

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) invites all high school students (9th through 12th grades) interested in the American Revolution to participate in the George S. & Stella M. Knight Essay Contest. To participate, students must submit an original 800 to 1,200-word essay based on an event, person, philosophy or ideal associated with the American Revolution, Declaration of Independence, or the framing of the United States Constitution. 

Deadline: December 31 

JFK Profiles in Courage Essay Contest 

The contest is open to United States high school students in grades 9-12 attending public, private, parochial, or home schools. In Profiles in Courage, John F. Kennedy recounted the stories of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers to do what was right for the nation. The Profile in Courage Essay Contest challenges students to write an original and creative essay that demonstrates an understanding of political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in Profiles in Courage.

Deadline: January 15 

Write the World Competition

Write the World is a global community of young writers, ages 13-18. Write the World offers a rotating list of themed competitions. Current competition ( October 2020) is for a Speech Writing Oration. The list of past competitions includes Historical Fiction ( short story), Food Writing, Album Review, Environmental Journalism, Songwriting and Book Review. 

Deadline: a new competition every month

Lloyd Davies Philosophy Prize

Established in 2006, the Lloyd Davies Philosophy Prize is an essay competition open in year 12 or the equivalent. Students can submit essays on three given topics in Philosophy. The judges will look for originality of thought, a clear grasp of the issues, clarity in presentation and a critical approach to what has been read. They will also look for a clear structure to the essay. Please read the submission guidelines carefully .

Deadline: June 22 , 2021

The American Foreign Service Association’s National High School Essay Contest

Students whose parents are not in the Foreign Service are eligible to participate in the contest, if they reside in the U.S., U.S territories, or if they are U.S. citizens attending high school overseas. In addition to the winner, there is the one runner-up and eight honorable mentions. For further details, please read Rules and Guidelines 

Deadline: The new prompt and deadlines for 2021 will be announced in the fall of 2020

International Essay Contest for Young People

This annual themed essay contest is organized by the Goi Peace Foundation in an effort to harness the energy, creativity and initiative of the world's youth in promoting a culture of peace and sustainable development. Essays can be submitted in two age categories, by anyone younger than 25. In addition to English, essays can be submitted in French, Spanish, German and Japanese. Please note that essays must be mailed, as no email submissions are accepted.

Deadline: Consult the Goi Peace Foundation website for the 2021 theme .

Engineer Girl Essay Writing Competition

This competition is  open to individual girls and boys in the following three age categories: elementary, middle, and high school students. This year's theme  relates to the COVID-19 virus.

Deadline: The contest will close at 11:59 PM, February 1, 2021, U.S. Eastern Standard Tim e

Voice of Democracy Audio-Essay Scholarship Program

Established in 1947 by Veterans of Foreign Wars, Voice of Democracy Youth Scholarship program requires a submission of a themed recorded essay. Students attending any type of school in grades 9-12 are eligible to participate. Essays are judged on content and on delivery technique.

Deadline: October 31

Calls for Submission

New Nonfiction by Older Writers

We are actively reading the submissions received and will update submitters on the status of their work as soon as we can..

What we’re looking for   Creative Nonfiction is currently seeking submissions of new nonfiction work by older (60+) writers. We’re looking for personal essays/memoir, experimental work, science writing, profiles, historical nonfiction, lyric essays … any kind of lively fact-based writing. Your work might directly address issues related to age/aging, but there is absolutely no requirement that it do so. 

Guidelines  4,000 word maximum; please include a word count on the first page of the essay and a cover letter with complete contact information and a brief bio.

Deadline Submissions must be uploaded by 11:59 pm on Monday, February 22, 2021 (EST).

Fees There is a $3 convenience fee for online submissions. Subscribers to Creative Nonfiction and/or True Story never pay a reading/convenience fee of any kind when submitting. Ever. Not a subscriber yet? Choose the discounted subscription add-on when uploading your submission.

THIS SUBMISSION CALL IS CURRENTLY CLOSED.

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• University of Warwick VIEW COURSES Royal Holloway, University of Londo... VIEW COURSES University of Birmingham VIEW COURSES University of Leeds VIEW COURSES Newcastle University VIEW COURSES Lancaster University VIEW COURSES University of East Anglia UEA VIEW COURSES University of Strathclyde VIEW COURSES University of Kent VIEW COURSES University of Plymouth VIEW COURSES University of Lincoln VIEW COURSES Keele University VIEW COURSES Manchester Metropolitan University VIEW COURSES University of Hull VIEW COURSES Kingston University VIEW COURSES University of Chester VIEW COURSES Edge Hill University VIEW COURSES Bournemouth University VIEW COURSES Bristol, University of the West of ... VIEW COURSES Canterbury Christ Church University VIEW COURSES Aberystwyth University VIEW COURSES Nottingham Trent University VIEW COURSES Brunel University London VIEW COURSES University of Essex VIEW COURSES University of Westminster, London VIEW COURSES Bangor University VIEW COURSES University of Portsmouth VIEW COURSES Teesside University, Middlesbrough VIEW COURSES Bath Spa University VIEW COURSES University of Brighton VIEW COURSES GET PROSPECTUS University of Greenwich VIEW COURSES De Montfort University VIEW COURSES University of Gloucestershire VIEW COURSES Sheffield Hallam University VIEW COURSES Anglia Ruskin University VIEW COURSES York St John University VIEW COURSES Birmingham City University VIEW COURSES University of Chichester VIEW COURSES Liverpool Hope University VIEW COURSES University of Winchester VIEW COURSES University of Salford VIEW COURSES University of Central Lancashire VIEW COURSES Arts University Bournemouth VIEW COURSES University of Worcester VIEW COURSES University of Bolton VIEW COURSES Liverpool John Moores University VIEW COURSES University of Derby VIEW COURSES Falmouth University VIEW COURSES St Mary's University, Twickenham VIEW COURSES University of Wolverhampton VIEW COURSES
• 100% 100% 99% 98% 97% 97% 97% 97% 95% 95% 94% 93% 93% 92% 91% 91% 90% 90% 90% 90% 89% 89% 89% 89% 89% 88% 88% 88% 88% 88% 87% 86% 86% 86% 86% 86% 85% 85% 85% 85% 85% 85% 85% 84% 84% 84% 83% 81% 80% 79%
• 79% 74% 73% 76% 68% 71% 75% 100% 62% 68% 62% 55% 60% 60% 55% 59% 61% n/a 56% 60% 61% 55% 64% 58% 54% 53% 52% 62% 58% 47% 58% 54% 51% 54% 49% 55% 57% 56% 58% 55% 56% 56% 60% 50% 48% 62% 64% 57% n/a n/a
• 77% 77% 76% 74% 79% 78% 74% 71% 77% 80% 88% 87% 80% 92% 83% 80% 80% 75% 79% 84% 81% 81% 82% 78% 72% 77% 85% 82% 76% 78% 82% 77% 79% 76% 79% 87% 76% 83% 76% 77% 81% 85% 89% 77% 82% 84% 80% 80% 76% 72%
• 86% 87% 89% 90% 94% 82% 87% 85% 87% 86% 75% 83% 86% 84% 77% 70% 73% 70% 71% 82% 69% 75% 77% 81% 84% 77% 71% 79% 81% 78% 68% 82% 67% 80% 79% 63% 88% 72% 72% 64% 70% 74% 64% 63% 65% n/a 62% n/a n/a 80%
• 74% 82% 78% n/a 76% 74% 72% n/a 78% 66% n/a 76% 76% n/a n/a 78% 60% 78% 92% 64% 62% n/a 58% 62% n/a 64% 68% n/a 66% 68% 56% 56% 54% 64% 64% 62% 54% 46% n/a 58% 70% 40% 60% 58% 66% 60% 60% 54% 72% 46%

This table was first published on 14 May 2024. 

Read the  University and subject tables methodology  to find out where the data comes from, how the tables are compiled and explanations of the measures used. 

All measures used to compile the tables are available on the full table view. Maximum scores for the measures: 

Overall score: maximum score of 1000 

Entry standards: no maximum score  

Student satisfaction: maximum score of 4

Research quality: maximum score of 4 

Continuation: maximum score of 100 

Graduate prospects – outcomes: maximum score of 100 

Graduate prospects – on track: maximum score of 100 

The following institutions have courses in this subject but insufficient data to be included in the ranking:  

• - Birmingham Newman University
• - Cardiff Metropolitan University
• - Cardiff University
• - Coventry University
• - Goldsmiths, University of London
• - Leeds Arts University
• - Leeds Beckett University
• - Leeds Trinity University
• - London Metropolitan University
• - Loughborough University
• - Middlesex University
• - Oxford Brookes University
• - Plymouth Marjon University
• - Queen's University Belfast
• - Staffordshire University
• - Swansea University
• - University of Aberdeen
• - University of Bedfordshire
• - University of Dundee
• - University of East London
• - University of Hertfordshire
• - University of Huddersfield
• - University of Leicester
• - University of Nottingham
• - University of Oxford
• - University of Reading
• - University of South Wales
• - University of Suffolk
• - University of Surrey
• - University of Wales Trinity Saint David
• - University of West London
• - University of the West of Scotland

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• Yorkshire and the Humber

Subject league tables

• Accounting & Finance
• Aeronautical & Aerospace Engineering
• African & Middle Eastern Studies
• Agriculture & Forestry
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• Asian Studies
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• Speech & Language Therapy
• Theology & Religious Studies
• Tourism, Transport, Travel & Heritage Studies
• Town & Country Planning and Landscape Design
• Veterinary Medicine

CHOOSE A REGION

University group, choose a group.

Written by Emily Harstone May 23rd, 2024

Arcadia Books: Now Accepting Manuscript Queries

Important: read this before submitting your manuscript.

Seven common manuscript submissions mistakes that are very easy to avoid.

Quercus Publishing, an imprint of Hachette, is re-branding their speculative fiction imprint Jo Fletcher Books as Arcadia Books. It will remain the only imprint of Quercus that accepts unsolicited submissions and it will stay open to submissions of science fiction, fantasy, and horror manuscripts for adults. They will also now consider YA/Crossover books as long as the work will appeal to adult readers and can be published on an adult list. The rebranding occurred in part because Jo Fletcher has left publishing and the imprint is now being led by Anne Perry who jointed Quercus after Fletcher left. Anne Perry also said “As our SFF and genre publishing at Quercus has grown rapidly over the last couple of years, we felt it was time to overhaul our ambitions and our priorities, to bring them in line with the breakneck pace of change in the SFF publishing world overall.” You can read more about the rebrand here . Along with the new name the website was redesigned and they now have a silver fox as their logo. They will continue to work with many of the same authors. The name Arcadia came from a publishing company started by Gary Pulsifer in 1996. Their list was sold to Quercus, who is only now using the name again.

Arcadia is established, have distribution, and have published a number of critically acclaimed authors. You can see their catalog here to get a better idea of what they have previously published. Please note that even though memoir and books belonging to other genres are listed in their catalog they are only open to unagented submissions of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. They are open to nonfiction in these genres, but only nonfiction that directly relates to the genre in some way. For example a book of nonfiction focused on movie monsters.

Their website is well organized. The focus is on selling books, not on recruiting new authors.

All submissions must be made via email. Send either the first 10,000 words of your novel or the first three chapters. They have formatting guidelines you must follow in order for your work to be considered. You can read editor Anne Perry’s manuscript wishlist here . She implies in it that the submission guidelines directly on the website will be updated further, but I’m not sure when.

Include a cover letter and a one-page synopsis as a separate document. If you have not heard from them six months after submitting, assume rejection. They do not respond to submissions unless they are interested. Submit one book at a time only.

To learn more, read their full submission guidelines here .

Emily Harstone  is the author of many popular books, including  The Authors Publish Guide to Manuscript Submissions ,  Submit, Publish, Repeat , and  The 2024 Guide to Manuscript Publishers . She regularly teaches three acclaimed courses on writing and publishing at  The Writer’s Workshop at Authors Publish . You can follow her on Facebook  here .

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May 17, 2024

Free Talk: The Art & Craft of Sound in Creative Writing with Michael Kleber-Diggs

Available to watch right now, completely free.

April 24, 2024

Free Talk: The Fourteen Choices of a Poem (With Darren C. Demaree)

May 30, 2024

Twelve Mile Review: Now Seeking Poetry Submissions

A print journal accepting poetry submissions.

Fourteen Famous Authors Who Didn’t Get Published Until Their Fifties (Or Older)

Real life success stories to inspire the writer in you.

We Need to Talk About the Third Draft

Tips to make manuscript revisions easier and more interesting.

May 27, 2024

35 Print Literary Journals that Publish Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry

These literary magazines and journals publish fiction, nonfiction, and poetry in print. Most also publish some work online. Not all of them are open now, but many are. A few calls are themed. Some of the magazines pay writers. A Public SpaceThis magazine publishes fiction, nonfiction (including memoir and long-form cultural criticism), poetry, and translations….

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Submission Report

Get detailed feedback on your pitch package from one of our expert editors. £385.

How it works

Make sure your pitch package is in the best possible shape before you send it out to agents.

This 1,000-word report will provide detailed feedback on your pitch letter, one-page synopsis and 3,000-word opening. You’ll get approximately 500 words of feedback on the letter and synopsis and 500 words on the opening. Your editor will approach your submission package from an industry perspective, providing practical tips and publishing insights to help you tighten your letter and synopsis as well as giving critical comment on your writing to ensure you have a powerful opening that really draws the reader in. The report will focus on helping you to sharpen and polish your submission package, bringing you one step closer to gaining representation.

Before submitting your submission package for a report, we recommend that you read our advice on how to write a one-page synopsis and how to craft your letter to a literary agent.

We offer submission reports for books written in any of the following genres/categories:

• Novel written for adults
• Novel written for children (older than 7) or young adults

If you're writing a non-fiction proposal and are interested in getting a submission report please email [email protected] before filling out our application form.

The feedback was insightful and fair. My editor covered the big areas I need to work on (e.g. narrative drive) and also looked at areas that needed tidying up. After reading the report I could see she was right about everything! It needed a professional fresh pair of eyes.

£385 (inclusive of VAT).

CONSULTATION

For an additional fee of £105, you can obtain a 30-minute consultation with your editor. This consultation will take place within one month of your receipt of the submission report. You will be able to use this time to discuss their feedback, ask about next steps and explore the different avenues you can take to implement their suggested changes to your pitch package.

READY TO REQUEST YOUR REPORT?

To request a submission report please fill in our application form. We ask that you send us the first 3,000 words of the novel or memoir you’d like a report on, and a synopsis of no more than a page (both need to be in the same document, as you can only upload ONE file in the application below). The form also asks you to let us know little more about your work-in-progress and if you have any specific concerns that you’d like your editor to address. Your application will help us select the right editor for your novel or memoir from our experienced team.

You can request a report at any time, and we will respond to your application within seven working days .

Our editors

All our expert editors are either established authors with significant teaching experience or they are respected publishing professionals.

Genevieve Fox

• Renowned feature journalist
• Acclaimed memoir writer
• Provides feedback to our Writing a Memoir students

Sarah Hilary

• Award-winning crime writer
• Provides feedback to our Writing a Psychological Thriller students

Wyl Menmuir

• Award-winning author
• Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize
• Provides feedback to our Write to the End of Your Novel students

Anthony Trevelyan

• Longlisted for the Desmond Elliot Prize
• Creative Writing teacher
• Provides feedback to our Starting to Write Your Novel students

REPORT ALLOCATION

• We will respond to your request for a submission report within seven working days and let you know which of our expert editors is right for your project.
• We consider it important that each applicant can be matched with an editor who has the right experience and expertise to be able to provide a useful report. If we do not have an editor who we think can be helpful to you, we will respond within seven days of your application to say that we are not able to provide a report for you.
• You will receive your report within four weeks of confirmation. Your report will be confirmed after you’ve agreed to our choice of editor and we have received your payment.
• You can opt to pay for your consultation in advance or you can wait to book the consultation until after your report has been delivered. The consultation will take place within one month of you receiving your report. It will only take place after we’ve received payment.