February, 2026
Event Details
The AWP Award Series is 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
Event Details
The AWP Award Series is 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is open to all authors writing in English, regardless of nationality or residence, and is available to published and unpublished authors alike.
The AWP Award Series conducts an evaluation process of writers, for writers, by writers. AWP hires a staff of screeners who are writers themselves; the screeners review manuscripts for the judges. Typically, the screeners will select ten manuscripts in each genre for the judges’ final evaluations.
Submit to the 2026 AWP Award Series from January 1 through February 28, 2026.
Only book-length manuscripts are eligible. The AWP Award Series defines “book-length” as follows:
- Poetry: 48 pages minimum text;
- Short story collection or creative nonfiction: 150–300 manuscript pages; and
- Novel: at least 60,000 and no more than 110,000 words.
Learn more about each award, including the 2025 finalists.
- Donald Hall Prize for Poetry
- Sue William Silverman Prize for Creative Nonfiction
- Grace Paley Prize for Short Fiction
- James Alan McPherson Prize for the Novel
Is this competition legit?YES! – Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any event, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work.
FAQ
If you are curious how writing competitions work, or it’s your first time entering one, we recommend reading our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page first.
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