Writing Competitions in 2025 – Weekly Updates

Opportunities for aspiring and experienced writers to win prizes and get published.

Looking for writing competitions and opportunities to win prizes and get published in 2025? Participating in writing competititions is a great way to practice your writing skills with an opportunity to get feedback for your work, win prizes, gain recognition, and get your work published either online or in print!

Our curated list includes basic information about upcoming writing events with detailed descriptions including entry fees, max word limit, submission deadlines, and prizes for winners and shortlisted authors. The list is updated on a weekly basis and features types of competitions, including:

  • short story and flash fiction
  • poetry
  • novel and novella manuscripts
  • essay and non-fiction
  • memoir, screenwriting, and more!

Are you curious about the pros and cons of writing competitions and why most organizers charge entry fees? Learn the basics in our article Should I pay to enter a writing competition?

Note: We do not host any of the events listed here. If you have any questions about a particular event, please reach out to the event organizer. Always do your own research before submitting your work, especially if participating in the event requires paying an entry fee.

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Featured events

sat01febAll Dayfri28This event is FREE to enter! Yay!Loud Music & Dark Places Short Story ContestThe Elegant Literature award for new writersCategoryFeatured event,Short StoryInternationalEntry FeeFree (for Elegant Literature members) Max word count2000 Top Prize$3,000, 10 cents per word, and publication

fri25apr(apr 25)12:00 pmsun27(apr 27)11:59 pmVirtual EventNot Quite Write Prize for Flash FictionA flash fiction competition with a twistCategoryFeatured eventInternationalEntry Fee$20 Max word count500 Top Prize$1,500, trophy, and a publishing contract

Upcoming events

Current Month

February 2025

sat01febAll Dayfri28This event is FREE to enter! Yay!Loud Music & Dark Places Short Story ContestThe Elegant Literature award for new writersCategoryFeatured event,Short StoryInternationalEntry FeeFree (for Elegant Literature members) Max word count2000 Top Prize$3,000, 10 cents per word, and publication

sun23feb10:00 amsun10:00 pmFFF Competition Twenty-SixCategoryFlash FictionInternationalEntry Fee£3.95 Max word count300 Top Prize£150

sun23feb7:05 pmsun6:00 pmBook a Break Flash Fiction CompetitionCategoryFlash FictionInternationalEntry Fee€8 Max word count500 Top PrizeFour-night stay for two people in Aix en Provence, France

mon24feb10:58 pmmon10:58 pmThe Elmbridge Literary CompetitionCategoryPoetry,Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee£8 (free for under 18s) Max word count1500 (short story); 30 lines (poetry) Top Prize£250

thu27febAll DayNext Generation Short Story AwardsA not-for-profit international awards program for authors of short stories.CategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee$25 Max word count5,000 Top Prize$500 and publication

fri28feb12:00 amfri11:59 pm7th Annual First Thousand Words Contest by Writerwerx UniversityCategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry Fee$10 Max word count1,000 Top Prize$1,100 in cash and prizes, your book 20,000 book lovers, award badge, winning author featured annually in contest promotions.

fri28feb12:00 amfri11:59 pmRigel 2025 Contest for Authors and ArtistsCategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry Fee$5 Max word count1,500 (short stories); 14 lines (poetry); 6 pages (graphic novels) Top Prize$100 and publication

fri28feb12:00 pmfri12:00 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Voice.club Monthly Flash Fiction ContestCategoryFiction,Flash Fiction,Short Fiction,Short StoryInternationalEntry FeeFREE Max word count350 Top Prize$25

fri28feb2:14 pmfri2:14 pmThe Margery Allingham Short Mystery CompetitionCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee£18 Max word count3,500 Top Prize£500

fri28feb2:19 pmfri2:19 pmEmerging Author Dagger Crime Novel CompetitionCategoryNovelInternationalEntry Fee£42 Max word count3,000 (novel opening) + 1,500 (synopsis) Top Prize£500

fri28feb2:52 pmfri11:59 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Write or Flight - The World's First Reality Show For WritersCategorymemoirInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count2000 Top Prize$10,000 book advance

fri28feb2:57 pmfri2:57 pmAWP Award Series 2025CategoryFull ManuscriptInternationalEntry Fee$30 Max word countDepends on category (check organizer's website) Top Prize$5,500 and publication

fri28feb2:58 pmfri2:58 pmEdinburgh Essay AwardOpen to writers worldwide and essays on any topicCategoryEssayInternationalEntry Fee£10 Max word count2,000 Top Prize£1,000

fri28feb3:03 pmfri3:03 pmEdinburgh Short Story Award 2025Open to unpublished writers worldwideCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee£11 Max word count2000 Top Prize £3,000

fri28feb3:09 pmfri3:09 pmEdinburgh Young Adult Fiction PrizeFor Novels and Graphic NovelsCategoryNovelInternationalEntry Fee£25 Max word count5,000 Top Prize£1,500

fri28feb3:30 pmfri3:30 pmSTAR Award for Published Women's Fiction AuthorsCategoryFull ManuscriptInternationalEntry Fee$60 Max word countNo limit (60,000 words minumum) Top Prize$500

fri28feb4:19 pmfri11:59 pmCranked Anvil Quarterly Flash Fiction PrizeCategoryFlash FictionInternationalEntry Fee£5 Max word count500 Top Prize£100

fri28feb5:00 pmfri5:37 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Bridge House Annual AnthologyCall for submissionsCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count5000 Top PrizePublication (24 stories selected)

fri28feb5:28 pmfri5:28 pmTHE 2025 NEW ENGLAND READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS CONTESTCategoryNovel,NovellaInternationalEntry Fee$30 Max word count80,000 Top PrizeStory & Character Development Coaching by Jeannie Moon of Five Harbor Literary

fri28feb6:35 pmfri11:59 pmWOW! Winter 2025 Flash Fiction ContestCategoryFlash FictionInternationalEntry Fee$10 Max word count750 Top Prize$400, publication, interview, and $25 Amazon Gift Certificate

fri28feb8:22 pmfri8:22 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!The Canterbury Tales Writing CompetitionCategoryPoetryInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count500 Top Prize£300 for winner and £1000 for their school library

fri28feb10:44 pmfri10:44 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Repeating EventVirtual EventThe Future Scholar Foundation Short Story CompetitionShort story competition for elementary and middle school studentsCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count350 Top Prize$25 Amazon Gift Card

March 2025

sat01mar11:32 amsat11:32 amThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Pilgrimages Travel Writing Competition 2025Categorymemoir,Non-fiction,Short StoryInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count1800 Top Prize$300

sat01mar5:10 pmsat5:10 pmEthos Literacy Annual Short Short Story ContestCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee$10 Max word count100 Top Prize$200

sat01mar8:35 pmsat8:35 pmWeatherglass Novella Prize 2025CategoryNovellaInternationalEntry Fee£20 Max word count40,000 Top Prize£500 and publication

sat01mar10:53 pmsat10:53 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!The Curae Prize 2025A literary award just for writer-carersCategoryNon-fiction,Poetry,Short FictionInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count4,000 (short fiction, non-fiction); 40 lines (poetry) Top Prize£250, publication, mentoring session with literary agent Jo Williamson

mon03mar12:02 ammon5:00 pmGutsy Great Novelist Chapter One PrizeCategoryNovelInternationalEntry Fee$20 Max word countNo limit Top Prize$1000

mon03mar4:49 pmmon4:49 pmBardsy’s 2025 Anthology Contest: First ChaptersCategoryNovelUSAEntry Fee$20 Max word count2500 Top Prize$1,000

wed12mar5:00 pmwed12:00 amThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Love Letter To My Toxic Trait ChallengeCategoryLetterInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word countNo limit Top Prize $85, 1 month African Voices Fellowship Subscription, free Writer’s Handbook, Featured Author Spotlight

sat15mar7:12 pmsat7:12 pmPerkoff Prize 2025CategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry Fee $15 Max word countDepends on category. Check with organizer. Top Prize$1,000

mon17mar11:57 pmmon11:57 pmThe Brick Lane Bookshop Short Story Prize 2025CategoryShort StoryUKEntry Fee£10 Max word count5,000 Top Prize£1,000

fri28mar10:44 pmfri10:44 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Repeating EventVirtual EventThe Future Scholar Foundation Short Story CompetitionShort story competition for elementary and middle school studentsCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count350 Top Prize$25 Amazon Gift Card

fri28mar11:48 pmfri11:48 pm​Red Shed Poetry Competition 2025CategoryPoetryInternationalEntry Fee£3.50 Max word count40 lines Top Prize£100

fri28mar11:56 pmfri11:56 pmThe Plough Poetry Prize 2025CategoryPoetryInternationalEntry Fee£5 Max word count40 lines Top Prize£1,000

sun30mar10:47 pmsun10:47 pmRhina Espaillat Poetry AwardCategoryPoetryInternationalEntry Fee$7 Max word count50 lines Top Prize$2,000 and publication

mon31mar12:00 ammon12:00 amBath Short Story Award 2025CategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee£9 Max word count2,200 Top Prize£1,000

mon31mar12:00 ammon11:59 pmThe E. H. P. Barnard Spring Poetry Prize 2025CategoryPoetryUKEntry Fee£2 Max word count400 Top Prize£150 and a poem video, professionally performed and produced

mon31mar12:04 ammon12:04 amThe London Magazine Poetry Prize 2025CategoryPoetryInternationalEntry Fee£10 Max word count40 lines Top Prize£500

mon31mar1:00 ammon11:59 pmFirst Writing Competition Judged by AICategoryFull Manuscript,Unpublished BooksInternationalEntry Fee$30 Max word count80,000 Top PrizePublication

mon31mar9:46 ammon11:59 pmThe Dark Poets Prize - Edition IIICategoryPoetryInternationalEntry Fee£5 Max word count250 Top Prize£500

mon31mar1:44 pmmon11:59 pmThe Letter Review Prize for PoetryCategoryPoetryInternationalEntry Fee$15 Max word count70 lines Top Prize$333

mon31mar1:47 pmmon1:47 pmThe Letter Review Prize for Short FictionCategoryFiction,Short Fiction,Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee$20 Max word count5000 Top Prize$333

mon31mar1:51 pmmon11:59 pmThe Letter Review Prize for NonfictionCategoryEssay,memoir,Non-fictionInternationalEntry Fee$20 Max word count5000 Top Prize$333

mon31mar1:54 pmmon11:59 pmThe Letter Review Prize for BooksCategoryChapbook,Essay,Fiction,Full Manuscript,memoir,Non-fiction,Novel,Novella,Poetry,Prose,Short Fiction,Short Story,Unpublished BooksInternationalEntry Fee$25 Max word count5000 Top Prize$333

mon31mar2:51 pmmon2:51 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Deborah Rogers Foundation Writers Award 2025CategoryFull ManuscriptUK & IrelandEntry FeeFree Max word count20,000 Top Prize£10,000

mon31mar3:28 pmmon3:28 pmThe Clay Reynolds Novella PrizeCategoryNovellaInternationalEntry Fee$20 Max word count50,000 Top Prize$1,000 advance, a standard royalty contract, and 10 copies of the published book

mon31mar3:33 pmmon3:33 pmLouise Bogan Award for Excellence in PoetryCategoryPoetryUSAEntry Fee$25 Max word count120 pages of poetry Top Prize$1000, twenty copies of published book, and assistance in marketing the book

mon31mar8:51 pmmon8:51 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!The Tom Grass Writing PrizeCategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count3000 Top Prize£1,000

mon31mar10:32 pmmon10:32 pmThe Caterpillar Poetry Prize 2025CategoryPoetryInternationalEntry Fee€15 Max word countNo limit Top Prize€1,000, publication, and a week at Circle of Misse in France

mon31mar11:19 pmmon11:19 pmLittle Kanawha Reading Series Chapbook ContestCategoryPoetry,ProseUSAEntry Fee$10 Max word count25 pages Top Prize$200, publication, author copies of book, invitation to be a featured reader at the Little Kanawha Reading Series

April 2025

tue01apr2:46 pmtue2:46 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize 2025CategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count1,250 Top Prize£3,000

tue01apr6:27 pmtue6:27 pmThe Rialto Nature and Place Poetry Competition 2025CategoryPoetryInternationalEntry Fee£7 Max word count40 lines Top Prize£1000 and publication

tue01apr6:35 pmtue6:35 pm2025 Claymore AwardFor best first 50 pages of an unpublished manuscript, play, or screenplayCategoryFull ManuscriptInternationalEntry Fee$40 Max word count50 double-spaced Top PrizePublishing contract

tue01apr7:11 pmtue7:11 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry ContestCategoryPoetryInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count250 lines Top Prize$2,000 plus a two-year gift certificate, and publication

wed09apr7:39 pmwed7:39 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Pitch Mag Young Sports Journalist CompetitionShow off your writing skills and sporting know-how.CategoryEssayUKEntry FeeFree Max word count800 Top Prize$50 and work experience at Pitch Magazine

sun13apr12:00 amsun11:59 pm2025 Desperate Literature Short Fiction PrizeCategoryShort FictionInternationalEntry Fee€20 Max word count2000 Top Prize €2000

wed16apr3:20 pmwed3:20 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Purorrelato 2025. Micro-story competitionMicro-stories related to AfricaCategoryMicro FictionInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count1500 Top Prize€750

sun20apr3:02 pmsun3:02 pmEyelands International Short Story Contest 2025InternationalEntry Fee€10 Max word count3,000 Top Prize€500 and publication

mon28apr10:22 pmmon12:00 amThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!KSCPP's 17th Nationwide Essay ContestFor middle and high school students in the U.S.CategoryEssayUSAEntry FeeFree Max word count825 Top Prize$500

mon28apr10:44 pmmon10:44 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Repeating EventVirtual EventThe Future Scholar Foundation Short Story CompetitionShort story competition for elementary and middle school studentsCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count350 Top Prize$25 Amazon Gift Card

wed30apr12:01 amwed11:59 pmTadpole Press 100-Word Writing ContestCategoryOtherInternationalEntry Fee$15 Max word count100 Top Prize$2,000

wed30apr11:13 pmwed11:13 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Oxford/42 New Writing PrizeCategoryNovel,ScreenwritingInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word countDepends on category (check organizer's website) Top Prize£1500 and agency representation

wed30apr11:59 pmwed11:59 pmThe Ghost Story Supernatural Fiction AwardCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee$20 Max word count10,000 Top Prize$1,500

May 2025

thu01may12:01 amthu11:59 pmTom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction and Essay ContestCategoryEssay,Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee$25 Max word count6,000 Top Prize$3,500

mon05may1:51 ammon1:51 amABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize 2025CategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee$20 Max word count5,000 Top Prize$6,000 and publication

mon05may7:06 pmmon7:06 pmWriter’s Digest Annual Writing CompetitionCategoryFull Manuscript,PoetryInternationalEntry Fee$30 Max word count4,000 (short fiction); 40 lines (poetry) Top Prize$5,000 and publication

wed07may11:44 pmwed11:44 pmWigtown International Poetry PrizeCategoryPoetryInternationalEntry Fee£10 Max word count40 lines Top Prize£1500 and publication

thu15may3:46 pmthu3:46 pmLenore Marshall Poetry PrizeCategoryPoetryUSAEntry Fee$75 Max word countNo limit Top Prize$25,000

mon19may2:56 pmmon2:56 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Creative Future Writers’ Award 2025CategoryFiction,Non-fiction,PoetryUKEntry FeeFree Max word count50 lines (Poetry); 2,000 (fiction and non-fiction) Top Prize£20,000 of prizes in training, mentoring, assessment and coaching

wed28may10:44 pmwed10:44 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Repeating EventVirtual EventThe Future Scholar Foundation Short Story CompetitionShort story competition for elementary and middle school studentsCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count350 Top Prize$25 Amazon Gift Card

sat31may12:00 amsat11:59 pmCranked Anvil Press Quarterly Flash Fiction PrizeCategoryFlash FictionInternationalEntry Fee£5 Max word count500 Top Prize£100

sat31may3:15 pmsat3:15 pmPeggy Chapman-Andrews First Novel AwardCategoryNovelUK & IrelandEntry Fee£24 Max word count8,000 taken from the opening chapter Top Prize£1,500, manuscript appraisal, publication

sat31may3:26 pmsat3:26 pmThe Yeovil Literary Prize 2025CategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry Fee£10 - £18.50 Max word countDepends on category (check organizer's website) Top Prize£1350

sat31may6:06 pmsat6:06 pmThe Bridport Prize 2025Award for Poetry, Short Story, Flash Fiction, and NovelCategoryFlash Fiction,Novel,Poetry,Short StoryInternationalEntry Fee£11 - £24 Max word countDepends on category. Check with organizer. Top Prize£5,000

sat31may7:59 pmsat7:59 pmBlue Pencil Agency First Novel Award 2025Open to unrepresented writersCategoryNovelInternationalEntry Fee£25 Max word count20,000 Top Prize£1,000 + agent Introduction

sat31may8:04 pmsat8:04 pmThe Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant WritingCategoryFull ManuscriptInternationalEntry Fee$20 Top Prize$10,000, admission to writing residency program, and publication by Restless Books

sat31may8:28 pmsat8:28 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!The Irene Adler Prize$1,000 Scholarship for Women WritersCategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word countCheck with organizer for details Top Prize$1,000

sat31may11:06 pmsat11:06 pmMinds Shine Bright Places Writing CompetitionCategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry Fee$15 Max word count5000 Top Prize$1500 and publication

sat31may11:06 pmsat11:06 pmThe BeaconFlash Story CompetitionCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee£3 Max word count500 Top Prize£75 plus up to 5,000 words critique

June 2025

sun01jun3:48 pmsun6:00 pmPeriscope Paired Fiction AwardCategoryFictionInternationalEntry Fee£16 Max word count1000 Top Prize£400

mon02jun2:50 pmmon2:50 pmThe Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition 2025CategoryNovelInternationalEntry Fee£20 Max word count80,000 Top Prize£10,000 and a publishing contract

mon02jun3:55 pmmon3:55 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Jane Austen Society of North America Essay ContestCategoryEssayInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count8 pages Top Prize$1,000 scholarship and two nights’ lodging for JASNA’s Annual General Meeting

wed25jun6:53 pmwed6:53 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction PrizeAwarding the best Canadian novel or short story collection of the yearCategoryNovelCanadaEntry FeeFree Max word countNo limit Top Prize$60,000 (winner); $5,000 (finalists)

sat28jun10:44 pmsat10:44 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Repeating EventVirtual EventThe Future Scholar Foundation Short Story CompetitionShort story competition for elementary and middle school studentsCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count350 Top Prize$25 Amazon Gift Card

mon30jun4:21 pmmon11:59 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Rinks and Romance Writing Contest: Showcase Your Best Hockey Love StoryCategoryFull ManuscriptInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word countNo limit Top Prize$300 USD and a Galatea Publishing Contract

mon30jun4:30 pmmon11:59 pmCranked Anvil Press Annual Short Story Prize 2025CategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee£6 Max word count2500 Top Prize£300

mon30jun9:21 pmmon9:21 pmThe 9th To Hull and Back Humorous Short Story CompetitionCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee£10 (early bird entry) Max word count2,500 Top Prize£1,000 and publication

mon30jun10:33 pmmon10:33 pmThe Moth Short Story Prize 2025CategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee€15 Max word count3,000 Top Prize€3,000

July 2025

tue01jul12:01 amtue11:59 pmNorth Street Book PrizeCategoryFull ManuscriptInternationalEntry Fee$85 Max word count200,000 Top Prize$10,000

wed23jul11:05 pmwed11:05 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!National Youth Foundation 'I Matter' ContestCategoryPoetryInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word countCheck with organizer for details Top Prize$500

thu31jul4:53 amthu11:59 pmAnthology Short Story Competition 2025CategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee€18 Max word count1500 Top Prize€1000

August 2025

sun24aug10:45 pmsun10:45 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!The Not Quite Write Prize for FLESH FictionErotic fiction competitionCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count1,500 Top Prize$500 and a trophy

sun31aug4:57 amsun11:59 pmAnthology Poetry Competition 2025CategoryPoetryInternationalEntry Fee€18 Max word count40 lines Top Prize€1000

sun31aug5:05 amsun11:59 pmAnthology Personal Memoir Competition 2025CategorymemoirInternationalEntry Fee€15 Max word count1500 Top Prize€500

September 2025

tue30sep4:59 amtue11:59 pmAnthology Flash Fiction Competition 2025CategoryFlash FictionInternationalEntry Fee€12 Max word count250 Top Prize€300

tue30sep5:03 amtue11:59 pmAnthology Nature Writing Competition 2025CategoryNon-fictionInternationalEntry Fee€15 Max word count1500 Top Prize€300

October 2025

wed01oct12:01 amwed11:59 pmTom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry ContestCategoryPoetryInternationalEntry Fee$25 Max word count250 lines Top Prize$3,500

November 2025

sun30nov5:01 amsun11:59 pmAnthology Travel Writing Competition 2025CategoryNon-fictionInternationalEntry Fee€15 Max word count1000 Top Prize€300

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