Writing contests are a great way to get published, win a cash prize, and add another accomplishment to your resume, making it a valuable tool for authors to gain exposure and notoriety in their chosen niche.
There are as many different types of writing competitions as there are genres of content, from short story and poetry contests to science fiction, picture book, and chapbook competitions. Submitting your best work to a writing contest can help you build your reputation as an author, network with other industry professionals, and build your resume.
Here are the top writing contests to apply for and answers to your most frequently asked questions about writing competitions.
Contents
Creative Writing Contests
Short Story Contests
1. The Iowa Short Fiction Award & John Simmons Short Fiction Award by the University of Iowa Press
The Iowa Short Fiction Award & John Simmons Short Fiction Award offers two authors of short fiction works under 150 double-spaced pages publication in the University of Iowa Press and in an anthology of winning works that can be purchased.
Application Deadline:Â September 2023
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: Unknown
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
2. Zizzle Literary Flash Fiction Contest
The Zizzle Literary Flash Fiction Contest is open to authors of flash fiction between 500 and 1,200 words or short stories between 2,000 to 4,500 words.
Application Deadline:Â March 2023
Entry Fee: $5
Grand Prize: $1,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: $500 second-place prize and $150 third-place prize for three (3) finalists
3. L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest
The L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest accepts outstanding science fiction and fantasy novellas and short stories under 17,000 words. New writers are welcome to apply.
Application Deadline: Every quarter on the last day of the month
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: $5,000 annually
First Place Runners Up Prize: $1,000. Second and third place winners are awarded $750 and $500, respectively.
Flash Fiction Contests
4. Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize
The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize is a writing contest sponsored by the long-running New York radio show Selected Shorts. Entries must be less than 750 words and winners will have their work read and recorded by a professional actor for airing on the radio. Writers of any age and from any country are eligible to submit their flash fiction story for consideration.
Application Deadline: Ongoing
Entry Fee: $25
Grand Prize: $1,000 plus access to a 10-week writing course by Gotham Writers
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
5. The Ernest Hemingway Short Fiction Prize
The Ernest Hemingway Short Fiction Prize offers a modest cash award for winning writers who submit flash fiction works under 1,500 words. Authors can submit multiple entries and all will be considered for publishing. Each year, one grand prize winner and three runners up are announced.
Application Deadline:Â April 2023
Entry Fee: $10
Grand Prize: $200 cash prize and publication in Fiction Southeast
First Place Runners Up Prize: Publication in Fiction Southeast
Novella Contests
6. Drue Heinz Literature Prize
The Drue Heinz Literature Prize is a prestigious award from the University of Pittsburgh Press offered to published writers with a minimum of three (3) short stories or novellas printed in literary journals or magazines. Famous authors who have judged works for the Drue Heinz Literature Prize include Joyce Carol Oates, Margaret Atwood, Robert Penn Warren, and more.
Application Deadline: Annually between May 1 and June 30
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: $15,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
7. The Miami University Press Novella Prize
The Miami University Press Novella Prize offers publication and a cash prize to novella authors who submit works between 18,000 and 40,000 words. Entries must not have been previously published online or in print and writers should inform the Miami University Press if their submitted work has been published elsewhere as soon as possible as it will no longer be eligible for award consideration.
Application Deadline:Â September 2023
Entry Fee: $25
Grand Prize: Winning writers receive $750, publication, and 10 copies of their novella
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
Creative Nonfiction Writing Contests
8. Lazuli Literary Group Writing Contest
The Lazuli Literary Group Writing Contest offers nonfiction, fiction, essay, poetry, and play writers $500 and publication. Submission limit is a maximum of 150 pages and authors may submit either published or previously unpublished works.
Application Deadline:Â January 2023
Entry Fee: $15
Grand Prize: $500
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
9. Hunger Mountain Creative Nonfiction Prize
The Hunger Mountain Creative Nonfiction Prize is an award offered to entrants who submit creative nonfiction works of less than 10,000 words. Both grand prize and runner up winners receive online publication by Hunger Mountain. Submissions are sent via traditional mail and may not be electronically submitted. Authors can submit multiple entries but must notify the publisher if the work is accepted for publication elsewhere during the review process.
Application Deadline:Â March 2023
Entry Fee: $20
Grand Prize: $1,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: $100
10. The Page Prize from The Pinch Journal
The Page Prize by The Pinch Journal is a small nonfiction writing competition that offers $1,000 to winning writers who submit flash nonfiction essays with fewer than 1,000 words. Entrants can submit multiple essays.
Application Deadline:Â January 2023
Entry Fee: $10
Grand Prize: $1,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
Personal Essay Contests
11. John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest
The John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest awards one high school student writer with $10,000 and a trip to Boston, Massachusetts to visit the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Essays must be between 700 and 1,000 words on the topic of a politically courageous act by an elected U.S. official between 1917 and now.
Application Deadline:Â January 2023
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: $10,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
12. Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest
The Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest is available for Canadian authors of personal essays. To be considered eligible, works must not be published elsewhere and must fall between 2,000 and 5,000 words.
Application Deadline:Â March 2023
Entry Fee: $40 per essay
Grand Prize: $1,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
13. Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
The Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest is one of the top writing contests available for authors of both personal essays and short stories. Entrants can be any age and most countries are eligible, with the exception of North Korea, Iran, Syria, and Crimea. Submissions may be as long as 6,000 words.
Application Deadline:Â April 2023
Entry Fee: $20
Grand Prize: $3,000 each for the winning story and essay
First Place Runners Up Prize: $200
14. New Millennium Writing Awards
The New Millennium Writing Awards offers a moderate cash prize to writers of short content under 7,499 words. Essays are submitted under the awards’ nonfiction category, and there are no restrictions or guidelines on the essay topic or writing style.
Application Deadline:Â November 30, 2023
Entry Fee: $20 for 1 entry, $35 for 2 entries, $45 for 3 entries, $60 for 4 entries, or $80 for 5 entries
Grand Prize: $1,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
15. The Preservation Foundation, Inc. General Nonfiction Contest
The Preservation Foundation, Inc. holds an annual General Nonfiction Contest that awards two writers with small cash prizes for outstanding short nonfiction pieces between 1,000 and 10,000 words. Submissions must include a short introduction and the author’s biography at the end of the piece. No editing services are provided.
Application Deadline:Â October 31, 2023
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: $200
First Place Runners Up Prize: $100
Children’s Books Competitions
16. Institute for Children’s Literature Middle Grade Mystery
The Institute for Children’s Literature offers a small cash prize for Middle Grade Mystery writers who can captivate their target audience of 8-12 year old children with a one-line summary and the first 1,000 books of their young adult mystery novella. Entries must be unpublished.
Application Deadline:Â November 15, 2023
Entry Fee: $19
Grand Prize: $650
First Place Runners Up Prize: Second Prize is $350 and Third, Fourth, and Fifth Place Prizes are $100 each
17. Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards
The Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards is an excellent opportunity for children’s book authors to gain notoriety and accolades in their chosen niche. Winning writers do not receive a cash prize, however, they are recognized at Moonbeam’s annual awards ceremony and are provided with a medal, certificate, and title of honor for their work.
Application Deadline:Â August 2023
Entry Fee: $95 in each category
Grand Prize: A display medal, a personalized award certificate, and an invitation to Moonbeam’s prestigious awards celebration
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
18. Golden Kite Award
The Golden Kite Award is given twice per year to two authors of children’s books in one of seven (7) categories including middle grade and young adult fiction, young adult nonfiction, picture books, and more.
Application Deadline: July and December
Entry Fee: Cost of SCBWI membership
Grand Prize: $2,500 cash prize plus $1,000 paid to a non-profit of the author’s choice
First Place Runners Up Prize: $500 cash prize plus $250 paid to a non-profit
19. Mom’s Choice Awards
The Mom’s Choice Awards reviews products and media for children and selects only the best to boast the Mom’s Choice Awards seal of approval.
Application Deadline: Ongoing
Entry Fee: $500 (nonrefundable)
Grand Prize: Lifetime rights to the Mom’s Choice Awards seal for marketing, plus advertising materials
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
20. Cybils Awards Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards
The Cybils Awards Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards offers their seal of approval to authors of children’s and young adult books that best marry popularity with literary quality.
Application Deadline: Annually between October 1st – 15th
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: Lifetime rights to the Cybils Awards seal for marketing
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
Poetry Competitions
21. Troubadour International Poetry Prize
The Troubadour International Poetry Prize is awarded every year to a writer from any country for one poem written in English. Poems must be 45 lines or less and cannot have been published previously. Entries are accepted via email only and writers may submit an unlimited number of poems for consideration.
Application Deadline:Â September 2023
Entry Fee: $7
Grand Prize: $2,830
First Place Runners Up Prize: $1,415
22. Poetry Nation Prime Poetry Contest
Poetry Nation’s Prime Poetry Contest awards two poets per year who are over the age of 13 with a generous cash prize and display plaque.
Application Deadline: Annually between January 1 – June 30 and July 1 – December 31
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: $2,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: $100
23. Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
The Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest award is offered to one poet in any genre and one poet written in a traditional or rhyming style each year, along with ten (10) honorable mentions.
Application Deadline:Â September 2023
Entry Fee: $15
Grand Prize: $3,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: Two-year gift certificates to Duotrope
24. Tupelo Press Sunken Garden Chapbook Poetry Prize
Every year, one poet will be awarded the Tupelo Press Sunken Garden Chapbook Poetry Prize, which offers a cash prize, publication, a poetry book launch with national distribution and press, and 25 copies of the book to the author.
Application Deadline: Annually between August 1 – October 31
Entry Fee: $25
Grand Prize: $1,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
25. Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize
The Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize, organized by the University of Pittsburgh Press, is offered to one writer of a previously unpublished full-length book of poetry with more than 48 pages.
Application Deadline: Annually between March 1 – April 30
Entry Fee: $25
Grand Prize: $5,000 and publication in the Pitt Poetry Series by the University of Pittsburgh Press
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
Writing Competitions for Young Writers
26. Young Lions Fiction Award
The Young Lions Fiction Award from the New York Public Library is offered to young writers under the age of 35. Although authors can be under the age of 18, the work must be written for an adult audience; YA fiction and children’s books are not eligible for this contest.
Application Deadline: Annually in May
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: $10,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
27. Bluefire 1,000 Words Writing Contest
The Bluefire 1,000 Words Writing Contest by The Leyla Beban Young Authors Foundation awards a modest cash prize to young authors in 6th through 12th grade.
Application Deadline: Annually between November 1 and February 1
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: $1,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: $100 cash prize for seven (7) writers and $50 payment for stories accepted for publication in the Bluefire Journal.
28. Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
Students over the age of thirteen (13) and who are in grades 7 through 12 can enter the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for fantasy and science fiction writing, scriptwriting, essay writing, and works in a total of 28 categories.
Application Deadline:Â December 2023 and January 2023 depending on region
Entry Fee: $7 per entry or $25 to enter a portfolio
Grand Prize: $10,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: $1,000
29. Ocean Awareness Contest
The Ocean Awareness Contest was developed to help young adults learn about environmental and climate issues facing the world’s oceans today. Submissions are open to students between the ages of 11 and 18.
Application Deadline:Â June 13, 2023
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: Junior Division — $1,000 for first place. Senior Division — $1,500 for first place.
First Place Runners Up Prize: Junior Division — $750 for second place, $250 for third place, and $50 honorable mention. Senior Division — $1,000 for second place, $500 for third place, and $100 honorable mention.
30. Young Writers Awards
The Young Writers Awards, sponsored by Bennington College, are open to students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 in the genres of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
Application Deadline: Annually between September 3 to November 1
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: $500 in each category
First Place Runners Up Prize: $250 second-place prize, $125 third-place prize
Free Writing Contests
31. St. Francis College Literary Prize
The St. Francis College Literary Prize offers mid-career authors with three (3) or more fiction publications under their belt with a cash prize of $50,000 and the opportunity to teach a class or deliver a lecture on their work at the St. Francis College campus in Brooklyn, New York.
Application Deadline:Â To be announced for 2023
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: $50,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
32. The Nine Dots Prize
The Nine Dots Prize is a free writing contest open to authors of provocative essays under 3,000 words. Entrants must respond to a predetermined question that addresses significant problems faced by society today. The 2021/22 question for the Nine Dots Prize was, “What does it mean to be young in an aging world?”
Application Deadline:Â January 2023
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: $100,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
Contests for Emerging Writers
33. Center for Fiction NYC Emerging Writer Fellowships
The Center for Fiction NYC Emerging Writer Fellowship Award is offered to eligible fiction writers in New York City. In addition to a $5,000 grant, winning writers receive a fellowship opportunity for one year and may have their manuscript edited and revised by an experienced staff member. The Center for Fiction is funded in part by the Amazon Literary Partnership.
Application Deadline:Â May 2023
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: $5,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
34. Ploughshares Emerging Writer’s Contest
The Ploughshares Emerging Writer’s Contest is open to unpublished writers in the genres of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Entrants may only submit one work in any genre per contest year. Poetry submissions must be between three (3) to five (5) pages and fiction/nonfiction submissions must be under 6,000 words.
Application Deadline:Â May 2023
Entry Fee: $0 for subscribers, $24 for nonsubscribers
Grand Prize: $2,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
High School Writing Contests
35. Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose
The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose offer two students in either high school or college a cash prize of $200. Entries can include up to six (6) poems or up to three (3) works of prose totaling no more than 9,000 words.
Application Deadline:Â August 2023
Entry Fee: $13, financial aid available
Grand Prize: $200
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
36. The American Foreign Services Association Essay Contest
The American Foreign Services Association Essay Contest awards one writer annually with a cash prize for an outstanding essay on the topic of establishing peace in foreign countries.
Application Deadline:Â April 2023
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: $2,500, a Semester at Sea scholarship, and a paid trip to Washington D.C.
First Place Runners Up Prize: $1,250 and a International Diplomacy Program of the National Student Leadership Conference scholarship
37. We the Students Essay Contest
The Bill of Rights Institute hosts the We the Students Essay Contest yearly, awarding one student writer between age 14 and 19 a substantial cash prize. The essay must answer the question, “What essential qualities must a citizen in your community have in 21st century America?”
Application Deadline:Â April 2023
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: $5,000 and a Constitutional Academy scholarship
First Place Runners Up Prize: $1,250 for second place, $500 for honorable mention
Literary Magazine Writing Contests
38. Boulevard Nonfiction Contest for Emerging Writers
Boulevard offers a modest cash prize every year to an unpublished emerging writer in the nonfiction genre. Essays for the Boulevard Nonfiction Contest for Emerging Writers must be 8,000 words or less.
Application Deadline:Â September 2023
Entry Fee: $16
Grand Prize: $1,000 and publication in Boulevard
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
39. Jeffrey E. Smith Editors’ Prize
The Missouri Review awards the Jeffrey E. Smith Editors’ Prize to three (3) writers annually with a generous cash prize and publication in The Missouri Review. Entries are limited to poetry, essays, and short stories.
Application Deadline:Â October 2023
Entry Fee: $25
Grand Prize: $5,000
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
40. TulipTree Publishing Disrupters Issue Contest
The Disrupters Issue Contest by TulipTree Publishing offers poem and prose writers a modest annual award for exceptional work on a provided topic.
Application Deadline:Â October 2023
Entry Fee: $20
Grand Prize: $1,000 and publication in TulipTree Review
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
41. Tamaqua Award
The Tamaqua Award is organized by Hidden River Arts and provides one writer with a cash prize and publication for manuscripts of any length. Entries must include a synopsis, biography, and an outline.
Application Deadline:Â October 31, 2023
Entry Fee: $20
Grand Prize: $1,000 and publication by Hidden River Press
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
Full-Length Book Contests
42. North Street Book Prize
The North Street Book Prize is a substantial award given to one writer who has self-published a book in the genres of fiction, creative nonfiction, picture books, graphic novels, memoirs, and poetry books. Submissions may not be over 200,000 words, and winners also receive top-level marketing services from industry professionals.
Application Deadline:Â June 2023
Grand Prize: $8,000
Entry Fee: $70 per book
First Place Runners Up Prize: $1,000 for the top winning writer in each genre and a $250 honorable mention to the third place winner.
43. The Restless Books Prize For New Immigrant Writing
The Restless Books Prize For New Immigrant Writing awards first-generation American immigrants with a $10,000 cash prize and manuscript publication for stories highlighting the immigration experience.
Application Deadline:Â September 2023 to March 2023
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: $10,000 and publication by Restless Books
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
44. Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards
The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards offer one author of a recently published work with a substantial monetary award for exceptional writing that improves society’s understanding of racism and its appreciation of diverse cultures.
Application Deadline: Annually between September 1 and December 31
Entry Fee: $0
Grand Prize: $10,000 and media appearance opportunities
First Place Runners Up Prize: Not applicable
The Final Word on Writing Contests
Whether you’re writing a book of poetry, children’s books, a short story collection, a full-length book, or a work of fiction, writing contests can help you establish more secure footing in your chosen niche.
FAQs About Writing Contests
Do writing competitions always have a cash prize?
Although most writing contests offer a cash prize to the winning writers, some competitions offer other types of incentives. For example, a prestigious literary journal may offer a writing fellowship to annual contest winners versus a lump sum award.
How are finalists chosen from contest entrants?
Typically, finalists are selected from a pool of contest entrants by initially narrowing down the pool of eligible candidates. Applications will be reviewed to determine which do not meet basic eligibility criteria, such as minimum word count or following the assigned writing prompts.
What do I need to win a short story award?
To win an award for an outstanding short story, you must submit your best work to a short story competition in your niche. Depending on the writing contest, you may need to pay an entry fee and submit the entirety of your short story for publication if it wins. If the contest you entered offers a cash prize, you will typically be awarded a check several weeks following the announcement of your win.
How do I win a poetry prize?
A poetry prize is awarded by hundreds of different creative writing contests every year. Some awards are small while others are substantial enough to fund an author’s work for a short period of time. Submit your poem or collection of poems to a poetry contest you meet the eligibility requirements for.
How can I submit my best work to win first prize?
Writing awards are offered to established and emerging writers who have submitted exceptional work in a chosen niche, such as creative writing, creative nonfiction, short fiction, and more.
To earn the top prize in any writing contest, you should proofread your work multiple times and ensure your spelling, English grammar, and formatting are free of errors. Your content should be compelling, engaging, and easy for your target audience to read and identify with.
What can winning writers expect after becoming a contest prize winner?
New writers often want to know what to expect after becoming a contest prize winner before submitting their work for a literary prize. Winning writers should be prepared to quickly grow their social media networks as they gain increased notoriety. Young adults and authors new to the industry should consider working with a professional agency to secure adequate representation.
What are honorable mentions?
Writers who are not among the first, second, or third place winners may be given an honorable mention. Honorable mentions are considered excellent works in their own right. Multiple winning writers typically indicates that the competition was stiff and many writers deserved recognition for their work.
Can fiction writers win a creative writing contest?
There are multiple contests for fiction writers that offer a range of cash prizes to authors that write short fiction, flash fiction, short stories, and other types of fiction. Competition can be stiff for these contests, however, so it’s critical to ensure that the content you submit is award-worthy.
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