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Writing Contests

A current, regularly updated list. Search by name, filter to free-entry only, and follow the link to enter. Deadlines marked to confirm are newly discovered and being verified against the official source.

short-story

The Bridport Prize — Short Story

Open
Deadline31 May 2027
Entry fee£15 per story
Prize£5,000 first, £1,000 second, £500 third
Not yet verified
deadline to confirm
Headline prize is 333.3x the entry fee. How we assess this
flash-fiction

The Bridport Prize — Flash Fiction

Open
Deadline31 May 2027
Entry fee£12 per flash
Prize£1,000 first, £500 second, £250 third
Not yet verified
deadline to confirm
Headline prize is 83.3x the entry fee. How we assess this
novel

Bridport Peggy Chapman-Andrews First Novel Award

Open
Deadline31 May 2027
Entry fee£26 per entry
Prize£1,500 + mentoring / agent package
Not yet verified
deadline to confirm
Headline prize is 57.7x the entry fee. How we assess this
short-story

Bristol Short Story Prize

Open
Deadline8 Jan 2027
Entry fee£14 (free low-income entries)
Prize£1,500 first, £500 second, £250 third
Not yet verifiedNo AI use
deadline to confirm
Headline prize is 107.1x the entry fee. How we assess this
flash-fiction

Bath Flash Fiction Award

Closing soon
Deadline4 Oct 2026
Entry feeSee website
Prize£1,000 first, £300 second, £100 third
Not yet verifiedNo stated AI policy
deadline to confirm
short-story

Bath Short Story Award

Open
Deadline26 Apr 2027
Entry fee£9 per entry
Prize£1,200 first, £300 second, £100 third
Not yet verifiedNo stated AI policy
deadline to confirm
Headline prize is 133.3x the entry fee. How we assess this
flash-fiction

SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction

Open
Deadline10 May 2027
Entry fee$15 per entry
Prize$2,500 first, $1,000 second, $500 third
Not yet verifiedNo stated AI policy
deadline to confirm
Headline prize is 166.7x the entry fee. How we assess this
short-story

Galley Beggar Press Short Story Prize

Open
Deadline8 Nov 2026
Entry fee£11 per story (free hardship entries)
Prize£3,000 winner; £200 shortlist
Not yet verified
deadline to confirm
Headline prize is 272.7x the entry fee. How we assess this
flash-fiction

National Flash Fiction Day Micro Competition

Open
Deadline15 Feb 2027
Entry feeFree
PrizePublication + small cash prizes
Not yet verifiedNo AI-generated work
speculative

L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest

Closed
Deadline30 Sept 2026
Entry feeFree
Prize$1,000/$750/$500 per quarter + $5,000 annual grand prize
Checked 20 Jul 2026No AI use
novel

Bath Novel Award

Open
Deadline31 May 2027
Entry fee£33 per novel
Prize£5,000
Not yet verifiedNo AI use
deadline to confirm
Headline prize is 151.5x the entry fee. How we assess this
children

Bath Children's Novel Award

Open
Deadline30 Nov 2026
Entry fee£33 per novel
Prize£5,000
Checked 20 Jul 2026No AI use
Headline prize is 151.5x the entry fee. How we assess this
children

The Times / Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition

Open
Deadline1 Jun 2027
Entry feeSee website
PrizePublishing contract + £10,000 royalty advance
Not yet verifiedNo stated AI policy
deadline to confirm
short-story

Fish Publishing Short Story Prize

Open
Deadline30 Nov 2026
Entry fee€24 / €16 subsequent
Prize€3,000 first + workshop; €300 second & third
Not yet verifiedNo stated AI policy
deadline to confirm
Headline prize is 125x the entry fee. How we assess this
flash-fiction

Fish Publishing Flash Fiction Prize

Open
Deadline28 Feb 2027
Entry fee€16 / €11 subsequent
Prize€1,000 first; course + €300 second; €300 third
Not yet verifiedNo stated AI policy
deadline to confirm
Headline prize is 62.5x the entry fee. How we assess this
memoir

Fish Publishing Short Memoir Prize

Open
Deadline31 Jan 2027
Entry fee€22 / €15 subsequent
Prize€1,000 first; course + €300 second & third
Not yet verifiedNo stated AI policy
deadline to confirm
High fee relative to prize (45.5x) How we assess this
essay

The Nine Dots Prize

Open
Deadline24 Jan 2027
Entry feeFree
PrizeUS$100,000 + book deal
Not yet verified
deadline to confirm
short-story

Wells Festival of Literature — Short Story Competition

Open
Deadline30 Jun 2027
Entry fee£8 per entry
PrizeShare of £5,000 across sections
Not yet verifiedNo stated AI policy
deadline to confirm
Headline prize is 625x the entry fee. How we assess this
children

Wells Festival of Literature — Book for Children Competition

Open
Deadline30 Jun 2027
Entry fee£8 per entry
PrizeShare of £5,000 across sections
Not yet verifiedNo stated AI policy
deadline to confirm
Headline prize is 625x the entry fee. How we assess this
short-story

Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2026

Open
Deadline21 Oct 2026
Entry fee£12 per entry
Prize£1,000 first + online creative writing course + publication; £200 to two runners-up
Checked 29 Sept 2026
Headline prize is 83.3x the entry fee. How we assess this
Creative nonfiction

Letter Review Prizes for Non-Fiction

Open
Deadline31 Jul 2027
Entry fee$20–$30
PrizeShare of $3,000 USD prize pool (9–12 winners) and publication
Not yet verifiedNo stated AI policy
deadline to confirm
Headline prize is 150x the entry fee. How we assess this
Essay

Key West Literary Essay Contest (implied from snippet)

Open
Deadline1 Aug 2027
Entry feeFree
PrizeCash Prize (amount not specified in snippet)
Not yet verified
deadline to confirm
Non-fiction

EVENT Magazine 2026 Non-Fiction Contest

Closing soon
Deadline15 Oct 2026
Entry feeNot specified in the snippet.
PrizeNot specified in the snippet.
Checked 24 Aug 2026
short story

Scottish Arts Trust Short Story Competition

Open
Deadline28 Feb 2027
Entry feeTo confirm
PrizeTo confirm
Checked 24 Aug 2026
essay

Illinois to America: Stories That Shape Us | Essay Contest

Open
Deadline31 May 2027
Entry feeFree
PrizePrize details not shown in the snippet; confirm on the official page.
Not yet verified
deadline to confirm
Not provided in the retrieved snippet.

Cosmopolitan Writing Award

Open
Deadline15 Nov 2026
Entry feeNot provided in the retrieved snippet.
PrizeNot provided in the retrieved snippet.
Checked 24 Aug 2026
short story

Annual Bess Streeter Aldrich Short Story Contest 2027

Open
Deadline15 Apr 2027
Entry feeTo confirm
PrizeTo confirm
Checked 28 Sept 2026
fiction

WriterCon Contests 2027

Open
Deadline15 Aug 2027
Entry feeTo confirm
PrizeTo confirm
Checked 28 Sept 2026
Creative nonfiction

Duke English Creative Writing Contest

Open
Deadline1 Mar 2027
Entry feeTo confirm
PrizeTo confirm
Checked 28 Sept 2026
Literary journalism

Brown University English Prizes

Open
Deadline18 Mar 2027
Entry feeTo confirm
PrizeTo confirm
Checked 28 Sept 2026
Nonfiction

WriterCon Contests

Open
Deadline15 Aug 2027
Entry feeTo confirm
PrizeTo confirm
Checked 28 Sept 2026
Short story

NAIWE Annual Short Story Competition 2027

Open
Deadline31 Jan 2027
Entry feeNot stated in the retrieved snippet.
PrizeOne grand prize winner receives recognition on NAIWE.org, a book by a NAIWE member, a choice of one recording from the NAIWE On-Demand Training Center, an interview on The Freelance Life, and publication in The Edge.
Checked 28 Sept 2026
Short fiction

Press 53 Award for Short Fiction (2027)

Open
Deadline31 Dec 2026
Entry feeNot stated in the retrieved snippet.
PrizeNot stated in the retrieved snippet.
Checked 28 Sept 2026
Short story

WritersWeekly 24-Hour Short Story Contest (Winter 2027)

Open
Deadline23 Jan 2027
Entry feeNot stated in the retrieved snippet.
PrizeNot stated in the retrieved snippet.
Checked 28 Sept 2026
essay

Immerse Essay Competition

Open
Deadline25 Oct 2026
Entry feeTo confirm
PrizeTo confirm
Checked 28 Sept 2026
essay

Writing contest listed by Immerse Education

Open
Deadline2 Nov 2026
Entry feeTo confirm
PrizeTo confirm
Not yet verified
deadline to confirm
essay

Writing contest listed by Principia Education

Open
Deadline16 Nov 2026
Entry feeTo confirm
PrizeTo confirm
Checked 28 Sept 2026
essay

FRA essay contest listed by Principia Education

Open
Deadline1 Dec 2026
Entry feeTo confirm
PrizeTo confirm
Checked 28 Sept 2026
essay

Student writing competition listed by GSU Law Research Guides

Open
Deadline11 Dec 2026
Entry feeTo confirm
PrizeTo confirm
Checked 28 Sept 2026
Nonfiction

The DISQUIET Prize

Open
Deadline4 Jan 2027
Entry feeNot specified in the search snippet
PrizeParticipation in the program; general application also considered for the program
Checked 28 Sept 2026
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