Be sure to check out our → List of Writing Competitions!

Writing Competitions in 2022 and 2023 – Weekly Updates

Opportunities for aspiring and experienced writers.

Welcome to the most comprehensive list of writing competitions available online. Our list includes short story, poetry, and flash fiction competitions, as well as some events for essay writers, screenwriting, and even entire novel manuscripts. Each item on our list includes basic information about max word count, entry fees, submission deadlines, and the first place prize.

Please do your own research before deciding to enter any event. In case of questions about a particular event, please reach out to the event organizer.

Use our online form to submit a new event to our list.

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december

sun04decAll DaySLEEK CITY PRESS Magic MedicineInternationalEntry Fee:$9 Max word count:800 Top Prize:$1500

mon05decAll DayMslexia Women's Poetry CompetitionInternationalCategoryPoetryEntry Fee:£10 Max word count:No limit Top Prize:£2,000

mon05decAll DayMSLEXIA Women's Pamphlet CompetitionInternationalCategoryPoetryEntry Fee:£20 Max word count:24 pages Top Prize:£250 and publication by Bloodaxe Books

tue06decAll DayThe 12 Days of Christmas (Chaos) Writing CompetitionInternationalCategoryShort StoryEntry Fee:£10 Max word count:2,500 Top Prize:£100

sat10decAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Kemper Human Rights Education Essay ContestsFOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTSInternationalCategoryEssayEntry Fee:Free Max word count:2500 Top Prize:$3000

thu15decAll DayJoy Bale Boone Poetry PrizeUSACategoryPoetryEntry Fee:$10 Max word count:No limit Top Prize:750

thu15decAll DayIFW Thriller First Pages ContestInternationalCategoryFull Manuscript,Short FictionEntry Fee:$19 Max word count:1,000 Top Prize:$650 USD and a critique

fri16decAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel CompetitionInternationalCategoryNovelEntry Fee:Free Max word count:No less than 60,000 Top Prize:$10,000 and publication

sun18decAll DayThe Geoffrey Weeden Poetry PrizeUKCategoryPoetryEntry Fee:£5 Max word count:150 lines Top Prize:£200

mon19decAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!The Honest Storytelling ChallengeInternationalCategoryShort FictionEntry Fee:Free Max word count:1000 Top Prize:$400

mon19decAll DayThe Goldilocks Zone Writing CompetitionUSACategoryEssay,Flash Fiction,memoir,Non-fiction,Poetry,Script,Short Fiction,Short StoryEntry Fee:$9.50 Max word count:5,000 words/10 pages for poetry & graphic novels Top Prize:$200

tue20dec1:00 amtue11:59 pmPeriscope Literary Open Fiction AwardInternationalCategoryShort FictionEntry Fee:£9 Max word count:2000 Top Prize:£1,500

fri23decAll DayFree Flash Fiction Competition ThirteenInternationalCategoryFlash FictionEntry Fee:£3.50 Max word count:300 Top Prize:£150

tue27decAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Story of the Year ContestFree writing contest with a missionUSACategoryShort FictionEntry Fee:Free Max word count:15000 Top Prize:$5,000

fri30decAll DayCalibre Essay PrizeInternationalCategoryEssayEntry Fee:$30 Max word count:5,000 Top Prize:$5,000 and publication

sat31decAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Story Unlikely's Short Story ContestUSACategoryShort StoryEntry Fee:Free Max word count:4500 Top Prize:$500

sat31decAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!My Writing Journey CompetitionWrite an essay about the best writing tip you ever received!InternationalCategoryEssayEntry Fee:Free Max word count:600 Top Prize:$200

sat31decAll DayTHE TWO SYLVIAS PRESS 2022 WILDER SERIES POETRY BOOK PRIZEA Poetry Contest for Women Over Age 50InternationalCategoryPoetryEntry Fee:$24 Max word count:80 pages Top Prize:$1000 and publication by Two Sylvias Press

sat31decAll DayWolves Lit Fest Poetry CompetitionUKCategoryPoetryEntry Fee:£4 Max word count:40 lines Top Prize:£400

sat31decAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!The Blue-White Dot Short Story CompetitionUnited Nations 17 Sustainable Development GoalsInternationalCategoryShort StoryEntry Fee:Free Max word count:3,500 Top Prize:Publication + royalties

sat31decAll DayThe Masters Review Chapbook OpenInternationalCategoryChapbookEntry Fee:$25 Max word count:45 pages Top Prize:$3000, manuscript publication, and 75 contributor copies

sat31decAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!VOICE.CLUB - FAMILY - FLASH FICTIONInternationalCategoryFlash FictionEntry Fee:Free Max word count:350 Top Prize:$50 USD Amazon Gift Card and Publication

sat31decAll DayThe Moth Poetry PrizeInternationalCategoryPoetryEntry Fee:€15 Max word count:? Top Prize:€6,000

sat31decAll DayThe Society of Classical Poets 2023 Poetry CompetitionInternationalCategoryPoetryEntry Fee:$20 Max word count:108 lines Top Prize:$2,000

january

sun01janAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!The European Writing PrizeHosted by The European Society of LiteratureInternationalCategoryShort FictionEntry Fee:Free Max word count:3500 Top Prize:€50

sun01janAll DayThe 2022 Charles Causley International Poetry CompetitionInternationalCategoryPoetryEntry Fee:£7.50 Max word count:40 lines Top Prize:£2,000 plus a 1 week writing residency

wed04janAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Immerse Education Essay CompetitionUKCategoryEssayEntry Fee:Free Max word count:500 Top Prize:100% Scholarship

fri06janAll DayHenshaw Short Story CompetitionInternationalCategoryShort StoryEntry Fee:£6 Max word count:2000 Top Prize:£200

sat14janAll DayThe Colorado Prize for PoetryInternationalCategoryPoetryEntry Fee:$28 Max word count:100 pages Top Prize:$2,500 and publication

sun15janAll DayRattle Chapbook PrizeInternationalCategoryChapbookEntry Fee:$25 (one year subscription to Rattle poetry magazine) Max word count:30 pages Top Prize:$5,000 and 500 author copies

sun15janAll Day4th Annual Short Short Story Contest to Support LiteracyUSACategoryFlash FictionEntry Fee:$12 Max word count:100 Top Prize:$200

mon23janAll DayCrime Essays Writing ContestUKCategoryEssayEntry Fee:£3 Max word count:3000 Top Prize:300

tue31janAll DayThe Tampa Review Prize for PoetryInternationalCategoryPoetryEntry Fee:$25 Max word count:100 pages Top Prize:$2,000 and book publication

tue31janAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Voice Talent Scholarship CompetitionInternationalEntry Fee:Free Max word count:500 Top Prize:$1000

tue31janAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Cheshire Prize for LiteratureUKEntry Fee:Free Max word count:1500 (short stories), 100 lines (poetry), 15 minutes (scripts) Top Prize:Cash prizes available

tue31janAll DayPulp Fictional - Writing CompetitionFlash FictionInternationalEntry Fee:£9 Max word count:1000 Top Prize:£250

tue31janAll DayClash of the Query LettersInternationalCategoryFull Manuscript,memoir,Non-fiction,NovelEntry Fee:$5 Max word count:500 Top Prize:$700

tue31janAll DayMagma Poetry CompetitionInternationalCategoryPoetryEntry Fee:£5 Max word count:50 lines Top Prize:£1,000

tue31janAll DayDEAR MX LONELYHEARTS - INTERACTIVE ANTHOLOGYInternationalEntry Fee:$3 Max word count:5 pages Top Prize:£20 + publicatio

tue31janAll DayThe Kent and Sussex Poetry Society Open Poetry CompetitionInternationalCategoryPoetryEntry Fee:£5 Max word count:40 lines Top Prize:£1,000

tue31janAll DayThe Writing District PrizeInternationalEntry Fee:$15 Max word count:3000 Top Prize:$1000 and publication

february

wed01febAll DayNew England Readers' Choice Awards ContestInternationalCategoryNovelEntry Fee:$30 Max word count:80,000 Top Prize:A two-session package with writer and life coach Zahie El Kouri worth $700!

fri03febAll DayWinter Flash Fiction Writing BattleInternationalCategoryFlash FictionEntry Fee:$20 Max word count:1000 Top Prize:$1250

sun05febAll DayBath Flash Fiction AwardInternationalCategoryFlash FictionEntry Fee:£9 Max word count:300 Top Prize:£1,000

sun12febAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!The International Radio Playwriting CompetitionInternationalEntry Fee:Free Max word count:53 minutes in length Top Prize:£2500 and a trip to London

mon27febAll DayThe 18th Elmbridge Literary CompetitionInternationalEntry Fee:£5 Max word count:1500 (short story), 30 lines (poem) Top Prize:£250

tue28febAll DayNOWW 25th Annual International Writing ContestInternationalEntry Fee:$10 Max word count:Varies by Category Top Prize:$150

tue28feb1:00 amtue1:00 amPet Flash Fiction ContestInternationalCategoryShort Fiction,Short StoryEntry Fee:$4.99 Max word count:300 Top Prize:$250

tue28febAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!THE CANTERBURY TALES WRITING COMPETITIONInternationalEntry Fee:Free Max word count:500 Top Prize:£300

march

wed01marAll DayNature and Place Poetry Competition 2023InternationalEntry Fee:£7 Max word count:40 lines Top Prize:£1000

fri31marAll DayThe Caterpillar Poetry PrizeInternationalCategoryPoetryEntry Fee:€15 Max word count:No limit Top Prize:€1,000

fri31marAll DayThe Fish Poetry Prize 2023InternationalCategoryPoetryEntry Fee:14 Max word count:60 lines Top Prize:€1,000

april

sat01aprAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry ContestInternationalCategoryPoetryEntry Fee:Free Max word count:250 lines Top Prize:$2,000 and publication

sun30aprAll DayTom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay ContestStories and Essays InternationalCategoryEssay,Short StoryEntry Fee:$22 Max word count:6,000 Top Prize:$3,000

may

wed31mayAll DayThe Bridport PrizeInternationalEntry Fee:£11-£24 Max word count:Depends on category Top Prize:£5,000

june

fri30junAll DayTo Hull And Back - Humorous Short Story CompetitionInternationalCategoryShort StoryEntry Fee:Early bird (until 31st March 2023): £13 for 1 story, £21 for 2 stories, £26 for 3 stories. From 1st April 2023 to 30th June 2023, the entry fee is: £15 for 1 story, £24 for 2 stories, £30 for 3 stories. Max word count:2,500 Top Prize:£1,200, your head on the To Hull And Back Anthology cover and a trip to Hull on a Harley Davidson.

august

thu31augAll DayAnthology Short Story Award 2023InternationalCategoryShort StoryEntry Fee: €18 Max word count:1500 Top Prize:€1000

october

tue31octAll DayAnthology Poetry Competition 2023InternationalCategoryPoetryEntry Fee:€18 Max word count:40 lines Top Prize:€1000

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