International

International Events

October

thu01oct2:08 amsat31(oct 31)11:59 amOnline EventThe Elegant Literature Award for New WritersPainted Prison Category:Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:Free for Elegant Literature members (or $10) Max Length:2,000 words Top Prize:$3,000, 10 cents per word, publication, and free enrollment in the New Novelist Accelerator program

mon19oct12:00 am12:00 pmOnline EventThe Amazing Writers Flash Fiction CompetitionSponsored by Scrivener Category:Flash FictionInternationalEntry Fee:£4 Max Length:300 words Top Prize:£500 and your story brought to life by professional voice actors and sound engineers

tue20oct2:23 pm2:23 pmOnline EventEyelands Book AwardsInternational awards for published and unpublished books Category:Full Manuscript, Published Books, Unpublished BooksInternationalEntry Fee:€40 Max Length:300,000 words Top Prize:Five-day stay in Athens or translation into Greek and publication by Strange Days Books

fri23oct(oct 23)12:00 pmsun25(oct 25)11:59 pmOnline EventNot Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction60 hours, 500 words, 2 teams, 1 winner Category:Flash FictionInternationalEntry Fee:$35 Max Length:500 words Top Prize:AU$1,500, publication, and trophy

mon26oct1:53 pm1:53 pmOnline EventScratch A4 Short Story Competition Category:Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:£4 Max Length:1,000 words Top Prize:Six shortlisted writers are invited to read their stories at a live event

thu29oct11:22 am11:22 amOnline EventWenlock Olympian Society Short Story Competition Category:Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:£6 Max Length:2,500 words Top Prize:£150 and publication online

sat31oct12:01 am11:59 pmOnline EventThe Bedford Short Story and Poetry Competition Category:Poetry, Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:£8.50 Max Length:3000 (short story); 40 lines (poetry) Top Prize:£2000

sat31oct11:00 am11:00 amOnline EventAnthology Poetry Competition 2026 Category:PoetryInternationalEntry Fee:€18 Max Length:40 lines Top Prize:€1,000 and publication

sat31oct11:00 am11:59 pmOnline EventNew Writers Novel Prize Category:Novel, NovellaInternationalEntry Fee:£12 Max Length:500 words Top Prize:£1,000 and lifetime Access to The Novel Factory

sat31oct12:49 pm12:49 pmFREE to enter! Yay!Online EventThe Aluminium Crown Short Story ContestA community-funded speculative fiction contest Category:Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:Free Max Length:4,000 words Top Prize:$300 (minimum) and publication

sat31oct1:19 pm1:19 pmOnline EventThe National Poetry Competition 2026 Category:PoetryInternationalEntry Fee:£9 Max Length:40 lines Top Prize:£5,000 and publication in The Poetry Review

sat31oct6:23 pm6:23 pmOnline EventFlash 500 Novel Opening & Synopsis Competition Category:NovelInternationalEntry Fee:£10 Max Length:3,000 words (opening) plus synopsis up to 750 words Top Prize:£500

November

sun01nov12:00 ammon30(nov 30)11:59 pmFREE to enter! Yay!Online EventReedsy Novel Sprint 2026For writers looking to make significant progress on a novel during November. Category:Fiction, NovelInternationalEntry Fee:Free Max Length:No limit Top Prize:$5,00, literary agent introduction call, additional prizes from partners

sun01nov6:18 pm6:18 pmOnline EventAscent Novel Prize Category:NovelInternationalEntry Fee:£29 Max Length:First 3,000 words Top Prize:£1,000

sun08nov2:36 pm2:36 pmOnline EventGalley Beggar Press Short Story Prize Category:Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:£11 (free options available for low-earners) Max Length:6,000 words Top Prize:£3,000 and publication

sun15nov3:49 pm3:49 pmOnline EventThe SmokeLong Grand Micro Contest 2026The Mikey Category:Micro FictionInternationalEntry Fee:$14 Max Length:250 words Top Prize:$1000 and publication

fri27nov4:00 pm4:00 pmOnline EventThe Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction, Poetry, and Books Category:Novel, Poetry, Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:$20 (short fiction); $15 (poetry); $25 (books) Max Length:5,000 words (short fiction); 70 lines (poetry); 5,000 words or 15 pages (books) Top Prize:$1,000 prize pool shared among 3-4 winners + publication

mon30nov12:00 am11:59 pmOnline EventTadpole Press 100-Word Writing ContestClever, uplifting stories in 100 words or less Category:Flash Fiction, Micro Fiction, Multiple categories, Poetry, Prose, Short Fiction, Short Non-fiction, SongwritingInternationalEntry Fee:$15 Max Length:100 words or less Top Prize:$1,000, publication, manuscript assessment, and other perks

mon30nov12:46 pm12:46 pmOnline EventGregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition Category:PoetryInternationalEntry Fee:€7 per poem or €30 for a batch of five Max Length:40 lines Top Prize:€2,000 and publication

mon30nov1:54 pm1:54 pmOnline EventWild Atlantic Writing Awards Category:Creative Nonfiction, Flash FictionInternationalEntry Fee:€10 Max Length:500 words Top Prize:€500, voucher for a writing retreat in Ireland, and publication

mon30nov8:53 pm8:53 pmOnline EventAnthology Travel Writing Competition 2026 Category:Creative Nonfiction, Non-fictionInternationalEntry Fee:€15 Max Length:1,000 words Top Prize:€300 and publication

mon30nov10:37 pm10:37 pmOnline EventBath Children’s Novel Award 2026An international prize for children's fiction by emerging author Category:NovelInternationalEntry Fee:£33 Max Length:5,000 words + one-page synopsis Top Prize:£5,000, manuscript feedback, the Minerva Trophy, online novel editing course worth £1,980

December

tue01decAll DayFREE to enter! Yay!Online EventAfter the End Poetry Competition Category:PoetryInternationalEntry Fee:Free Max Length:40 lines (poetry); 3 minutes (spoken word) Top Prize:£200 and publication

mon30nov7:00 pm11:59 pmOnline EventPrairie Fire Writing Contests Category:Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, PoetryInternationalEntry Fee:$34 Max Length:5000 words (Fiction & Creative Non-Fiction) 150 lines (poetry) Top Prize:$1,250 CAD and publication

tue01dec2:18 pm2:18 pmOnline EventBirdy Poetry PrizeFull-length poetry manuscript prize Category:PoetryInternationalEntry Fee:$25 Max Length:No limit Top Prize:$1,000 and publication

tue01dec3:07 pm3:07 pmOnline EventAgArts Bio-Sanctuary ContestPoetry and nonfiction about wildlife refuges Category:Essay, PoetryInternationalEntry Fee:$10 Max Length:500 words Top Prize:$1,000 and publication

sun06decAll DayOnline EventThe Ouroboros Poetry Prize Category:PoetryInternationalEntry Fee:$20 Max Length:3 poems under 10 pages Top Prize:$3,000 and publication

mon07decAll DayOnline EventMslexia Women's Pamphlet Competition 2026 Category:PoetryInternationalEntry Fee:£20 Max Length:24 pages Top Prize:£500 and publication

fri11decAll DayOnline EventIronclad Short Story Competition Winter 26/27Prompt: GLIMMER Category:Short FictionInternationalEntry Fee:£9.75 Max Length:6000 words Top Prize:£100 and publication

sat12decAll DayOnline EventFosseway Writers Short Story Competition Category:Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:£5 Max Length:2500 words Top Prize:£50 and publication

tue15dec4:26 pm4:26 pmOnline EventWilder Series Poetry Book PrizePoetry Book Prize for Women over 50 Category:Full Manuscript, PoetryInternationalEntry Fee:$24 Max Length:75 pages Top Prize:$1,000 and publication

tue15dec4:37 pm4:37 pmOnline EventThe New Voices Fiction Award Category:Essay, Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:$15 Max Length:2,000 words Top Prize:$200 and publication

sun20dec1:48 pm1:48 pmOnline Event2026/2027 Fiction, Non-Fiction & Memoir Contest Category:Full Manuscript, Memoir, Non-fiction, NovelInternationalEntry Fee:$40 Max Length:100,000 words Top Prize:$1,000 in prizes

fri25dec1:43 pm1:43 pmOnline EventLouise Glück Prize for Best Poem or Prose Category:Essay, Multiple categories, Poetry, Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:$35 Max Length:5 poems (poetry); 10,000 words (prose) Top Prize:$1,000 and publication

thu31decAll DayOnline EventThe Moth Poetry Prize 2026 Category:PoetryInternationalEntry Fee:€17 Max Length:No limit Top Prize:€6,000 and publication

thu31decAll DayOnline EventThe First 5K Novel Prize Category:NovelInternationalEntry Fee:£27.50 Max Length:5,000 words Top Prize:£5,000, 12-month Writers Online Membership, and free literary consultation

thu31dec7:24 am7:24 amOnline EventThe Chesham Short Story Prize Category:Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:£10 Max Length:3,000 words Top Prize:£100

thu31dec7:52 am7:52 amOnline EventThe Playwright's PrizeChesham Literary Festival Category:PlaywritingInternationalEntry Fee:£15 Max Length:20,000 words Top Prize:£100

thu31dec1:16 pm1:16 pmOnline EventThe Penelope AwardSearching for the Best Unpublished Thriller Manuscript Category:Full Manuscript, NovelInternationalEntry Fee:€30 Max Length:Synopsis up to 500 words, plus first three chapters Top Prize:Publishing deal with Imagine Press

thu31dec1:38 pm1:38 pmOnline EventAfrican Diaspora Award 2027Fiction, nonfiction and poetry on African culture Category:Multiple categories, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:$10 Max Length:3,000 words (short story); 1,500 words (creative nonfiction); 7 pages (poetry) Top Prize:$1,000 and publication

thu31dec7:00 am12:00 amOnline EventKiller Shorts Horror Short Story CompetitionTHE PREMIER WRITING CONTEST FOR EMERGING GENRE WRITERS Category:Short Fiction, Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:$25 Max Length:6000 words Top Prize:Publication, Career Mentorship, Industry Circulation, Scrivener Writing Software, and a Skull-Shaped Typewriter Trophy.

thu31dec5:12 pm5:12 pmFREE to enter! Yay!Online EventRejection CompetitionA competition to see who can acquire the most literary rejections in a calendar year Category:Creative Nonfiction, Essay, Flash Fiction, Micro Fiction, Poetry, Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:Free Max Length:No limit Top Prize:Publication online and bragging rights

thu31dec8:52 pm8:52 pmOnline EventThe Lascaux Prize in Short Fiction Category:Short FictionInternationalEntry Fee:$15 Max Length:10,000 words Top Prize:$1,000, a bronze medallion, and publication in The Lascaux Review

January

fri01janAll DayOnline EventClaret Press Short Story Competition 2027 Category:Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:£5 Max Length:5,000 words Top Prize:£50 and publication

fri01jan12:25 pm12:25 pmOnline EventThe Stern Poetry Book PrizeOpen to poets aged 50 and overInternationalEntry Fee:$25 Max Length:No limit Top Prize:$2,000 and publication

thu14jan12:54 pm12:54 pmOnline Event2027 Colorado Prize for PoetryBook-length poetry manuscripts Category:Full Manuscript, PoetryInternationalEntry Fee:$25 Max Length:100 pages Top Prize:$2,500 and publication

fri15janAll DayOnline EventThe Win-Win Writing Competition Category:Flash Fiction, Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:£5 Max Length:400 words (flash fiction); 1,000 words (short story) Top Prize:£100 and publication

fri15jan4:05 pm4:05 pmOnline EventLongleaf Press Poetry Book PrizePoetry manuscript prize Category:Full Manuscript, PoetryInternationalEntry Fee:$27 Max Length:No limit (minimum 50 pages) Top Prize:$1,200 prize, 25 copies, and a virtual reading

sun31janAll DayOnline EventExeter Novel Prize Category:NovelInternationalEntry Fee:£23 Max Length:10,000 words Top Prize:£1,000

February

fri12feb12:00 am11:59 pmOnline EventNext Generation Indie Book AwardsThe largest international awards program for indie authors and independent publishers Category:Multiple categoriesInternationalEntry Fee:$80 Max Length:No limit Top Prize:$1,500

fri12feb10:53 am10:53 amFREE to enter! Yay!Online EventWriters' & Artists' Short Story Competition 2027An annual free short story competition Category:Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:Free Max Length:2,000 words Top Prize:Publication and many other perks (check organizer's website for details)

thu25feb12:00 am11:59 pmOnline EventNext Generation Short Story AwardsA not-for-profit awards program for authors of short stories Category:Multiple categoriesInternationalEntry Fee:$25 Max Length:5000 words Top Prize:$500

fri26feb2:04 pm2:04 pmFREE to enter! Yay!Online EventNever Such Innocence Poetry Competition 2026/27Competition is aimed at young people aged 9 to 18 Category:PoetryInternationalEntry Fee:Free Max Length:One A4 page (12pt font) Top Prize:Publication in a digital booklet and other perks

sun28feb12:52 pm12:52 pmFREE to enter! Yay!Online EventCanterbury Tales Writing Competition 2026/7Create a poem or story that reflects the theme of “Transformations” Category:Poetry, Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee:Free Max Length:500 words Top Prize:£300 in each age category, plus £1,000 for the winning entrant’s school library

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