Writing Contests and Competitions – Weekly Updates

Opportunities for aspiring and experienced writers.

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

We are keen to encourage quality submissions, so suggest writers to check their stories before submitting using Prowritingaid. They have free and paid versions and are the best writing software we know to help improve grammar, readability and check for repetition, ‘sticky’ sentences and suggest alternatives.

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.

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April 2024

tue30apr12:00 amtue12:59 pmThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Wiingy Future STEM Leaders ScholarshipCategoryEssayInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count600 Top Prize$200

tue30aprAll DayTadpole Press 100-Word Writing ContestCategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry Fee$15 Max word count100 Top Prize$2,000

tue30aprAll DayThe Letter Review Prize for NonfictionCategoryEssay,memoir,Non-fictionInternationalEntry Fee$2 Max word count5000 Top Prize$1000

tue30aprAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished BooksCategoryChapbook,Essay,Flash Fiction,Full Manuscript,memoir,Multiple categories,Non-fiction,Novel,Novella,Poetry,Short Fiction,Short StoryInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count200,000 Top Prize$1000

tue30aprAll DayWOW! Women On Writing Creative Nonfiction Essay ContestCategoryEssayUSAEntry Fee$12 Max word count1000 Top Prize$500

tue30aprAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!The Letter Review Prize for PoetryCategoryPoetryInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count70 lines Top Prize$1000

tue30aprAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!The Letter Review Prize for Short StoriesCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count5000 Top Prize$500

tue30aprAll DayNew Writers 1000-Word Short Story Competition 2024CategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee£10 Max word count1,000 Top Prize£1,000

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May 2024

tue30apr(apr 30)1:00 amfri31may(may 31)1:00 amThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Discourse Literary Journal Monthly Writing Competition: WeirdCategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count3000 Top PrizePublication

wed01mayAll DayColorado Gold Literary AwardsCategoryFull ManuscriptUSAEntry Fee$25 Max word count3,000 Top Prize$150 and meeting with an agent

wed01mayAll DayTom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay ContestCategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry Fee$22 Max word count6,000 Top Prize$3,500

wed01mayAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Untold Tales Youth Writing CompetitionCategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count1,000 Top Prize$100 and publication

wed01mayAll DayCheshire Novel PrizeCategoryNovelInternationalEntry Fee£29 Max word count5000 Top Prize£1,500

sun05mayAll DayLeapfrog Global Fiction PrizeCategoryFull ManuscriptInternationalEntry Fee$35 Max word countFull manuscript (check details for minimum word count) Top PrizePublication

wed15mayAll DayMontreal International Poetry PrizeCategoryPoetryInternationalEntry Fee$25 Max word count40 lines Top Prize$20,000

wed15mayAll DayGoldfinch Novel Award 2024CategoryNovelInternationalEntry Fee£10 Max word count5000 Top Prize£300

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June 2024

sat01junAll DayArizona Authors Association Literary ContestCategoryMultiple categoriesUSAEntry Fee$30-45 Max word count5000 Top Prize$500

sat01junAll DayTimes/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition 2024CategoryNovelInternationalEntry Fee£20 Max word count80,000 Top Prize£10,000 and agent representation

sun02junAll DayMcLellan Poetry CompetitionCategoryPoetryInternationalEntry Fee£7 Max word count90 lines Top Prize£1,000

sat15junAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!International Essay Contest for Young PeopleInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count700 Top Prize100,000 Yen and gift

sun23junAll DayLichfield Institute Spring Writing ContestCategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry Fee$15 Max word countDepends on category (check organizer's website) Top PrizeStipends and considered for representation by literary agencies in San Francisco and New York

mon24junAll Day2024 Spring Anthology Contest: Compelling HooksCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee$20 Max word count2,000 Top Prize$500 and publication

mon24junAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!Imagine 2200 – Climate Fiction Short Story Contest 2024CategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry FeeFree Max word count5000 Top Prize$3,000

sun30junAll DayThe Moth Short Story Prize 2024InternationalEntry Fee€15 Max word count3,000 Top Prize€3,000

July 2024

mon01julAll DayQueen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize 2024CategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry Fee£12 Max word count3,000 Top Prize£1000

mon01julAll DayDorothy Dunnett Society and Historical Writers’ Association Short Story CompetitionCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee£5 Max word count3500 Top Prize£500 and mentoring sessions from author and agent

sun07julAll DayHastings Book Festival Writing CompetitionCategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry Fee£8.25 Max word count 2,500 (short stories); 40 (poetry) Top Prize£250

sun07julAll DayNorth Street Book PrizeCategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry Fee$79 Max word count200,000 Top Prize$10,000

mon08jul2:11 pmmon2:11 pm2024 HG Wells Short Story CompetitionCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee£10 Max word count5,000 Top Prize£1,000 and publication

mon15julAll DayRattle Poetry Prize 2024CategoryPoetryInternationalEntry Fee$30 Max word countNo limit Top Prize$15,000

sun21jul1:00 amsun1:00 amWrite by the Sea - Writing Competition 2024CategoryMultiple categoriesIrelandEntry Fee€10 Max word countDepends on category (check organizer's website) Top Prize€500

wed31julAll DayInspiring Fiction's Special Edition Short Story ContestCategoryShort StoryInternationalEntry Fee£5 Max word count2500 Top Prize£100

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August 2024

thu01augAll DayThis event is FREE to enter! Yay!The MoonLit Getaway Grand Opening ContestCategoryFlash FictionUSAEntry FeeFree Max word count1000 Top Prize$100

sat31augAll DayAnthology Personal Memoir CompetitionCategorymemoirInternationalEntry Fee€15 Max word count1,500 Top Prize€500 and the chance to see their work published in a future issue of Anthology

sat31augAll DayAnthology Personal Memoir Competition 2024CategorymemoirInternationalEntry Fee€10 Max word count1000 Top Prize€500

sat31augAll DayAesthetica Creative Writing Award 2024CategoryMultiple categoriesInternationalEntry Fee£12 - £18 Max word count2,000 (fiction); 40 lines (poetry) Top Prize£2,500 and publication

September 2024

fri06sepAll DayToes in the Sand Romance Story ContestCategoryMultiple categoriesUSAEntry FeeFree Max word count50,000 Top Prize$300 and publication

mon30sepAll DayAnthology Flash Fiction Competition 2024CategoryFlash FictionInternationalEntry Fee€12 Max word count250 Top Prize€300

mon30sepAll DayAnthology Nature Writing Competition 2024CategoryNon-fictionInternationalEntry Fee€10 Max word count1000 Top Prize€500

mon30sepAll DayOne Page Poetry ContestCategoryPoetryUSAEntry Fee$25 Max word count300 Top Prize$2,000

October 2024

tue01octAll DayTom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry ContestCategoryPoetryInternationalEntry Fee$22 Max word count250 lines Top Prize$3,500

thu31octAll DayAnthology Poetry Competition 2024CategoryPoetryInternationalEntry Fee€18 Max word count40 lines Top Prize€1000

November 2024

sat30novAll DayAnthology Travel Writing Competition 2024CategoryNon-fictionInternationalEntry Fee€15 Max word count1000 Top Prize€500

sat30novAll DayTHE BATH NOVEL AWARDSInternational writing competition for novels and children’s booksCategoryNovelInternationalEntry Fee£29.99 ( sponsored places for writers on a low income available) Max word count5,000 Top Prize£5,000 and full manuscript feedback

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