The Elegant Literature Prize is a $3,000 cash award presented monthly by Elegant Literature, a digital magazine, to a new, unpublished writer. The award is part of the organizer’s mission to help new talent launch their writing careers by providing financial support and publication opportunities.

This contest invites you to explore Hungry Highways, whatever that means to you. Fantasy, contemporary, romance, crime. All genres are welcome.

Submissions close August 31st at 11:59 pm EST. Contest only open to new writers.

Who can enter? New or unpublished authors, from anywhere in the world (excluding Quebec, Canada).

Prizes:

• 1st place: $3,000 USD. Free enrolment in the New Novelist Accelerator.
• 2nd – 10th: 10c/word and publication.
• 11th – 35th: $20 USD and an honorable mention in the magazine.

The judges will choose the winner based on creativity, character, structure and flow, quality of writing.

Find out more about the event and submit your work.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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WriteFluence is a writing platform running its first short story contest since returning from a hiatus announced in June 2026. Entrants are asked to write a story exploring the theme “Revival” — broadly interpreted as the revival of hope, love, dreams, communities, traditions, or worlds.

Submissions must be original, unpublished, non-AI-generated work of at least 2,000 words, with no stated upper limit. The contest opened 14 July 2026 and closes 10 August 2026, with winners announced 29 September 2026. Entry is open to writers aged 18 and over, writing in English, from all countries; multiple entries are allowed provided a separate fee is paid per entry.

Entries will be evaluated by the WriteFluence team on:

• Originality and creativity
• Storytelling and narrative structure
• Character development
• Language and style
• Relevance to the theme

Rather than a cash prize, winning stories receive publication as excerpts on the WriteFluence website and full inclusion in a curated anthology published worldwide on Kindle (ebook and paperback), with full author credit.

Is this competition legit?Unknown - Based on our research it is not clear if this event is legit and if it's hosted by a well established publisher. Please remember to do your own research and read the Terms & Conditions 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.

The John Glassco Translation Prize is an annual award presented by the Literary Translators’ Association of Canada (LTAC/ATTLC) to recognize an emerging literary translator’s first book-length translation. It has been awarded every year since 1982, with the 2026 edition marking its 42nd year. The prize is named after John Glassco, a Canadian writer and translator known for his English translation of the journals and poems of Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau.

The prize is open only to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Eligible entries are a translator’s, or co-translators’, first book-length published translation, issued by a recognized publishing house between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026. Self-published books and titles available only in digital format are not eligible. The original text can be in any language, but the translation itself must be in French or English.

Eligible genres include novels, short stories, novellas, plays, poetry, biographies, essays, children’s literature, and graphic novels; manuals, textbooks, dictionaries, glossaries. Academic works are excluded. Submissions may be made by the publisher, the translator, or any other party, and must include four copies of both the original work and the translation.

The winner receives a cheque for CAD $1,500 and a one-year LTAC membership. Finalists are informed in October 2026. The prize is presented in the fall, around the celebration of St. Jerome, the patron saint of translators.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter Literary Festival Poetry Competition is open for submissions. This year, the theme of the competition is New World.

Entrants must be over 18 and from the island of Ireland, or resident in Ireland. Entries to be in English, or Irish with a translation. Entry is free.

You may submit two poems; only one submission per person. Maximum length of each poem to be 30 lines, excluding title.

Five shortlisted poets will be invited to read their entries at the Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter Literary Festival on Saturday 17th October when the overall winner will be announced.

The closing date for entries is Friday 21st August 2026. Results will be announced by the end of September. Three highly commended entries will receive cash prizes.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Ink of Ages Fiction Prize is an annual international contest run by the non-profit World History Encyclopedia and sponsored by Oxford University Press. The award celebrates short fiction that engages readers with cultural heritage and explores the interconnected human past.

Writers are invited to submit original, previously unpublished short stories in English across two specific categories: Historical Fiction and Mythological Fiction. All submissions must follow a strict timeline constraint: no part of the story can be set more recently than 50 years ago. Historical pieces must ground themselves in the past’s social, political, or cultural atmosphere (alternative history is permitted, but time travel is not). Mythological stories must actively draw from a genuine, specific mythic figure, folkloric tradition, or cultural belief, though they do not need to be set in the time or place of the original myth. Stories set in prehistory are welcome if they plausibly evoke the lived experience or oral traditions of the era.

The competition is open to writers worldwide. There are two entry tiers evaluated by age on the closing deadline: an Adult category for writers aged 18 and over (stories must be strictly 1,500–2,000 words) and a Youth category for writers aged 13 to 17 (stories must be strictly 800–1,000 words, accompanied by parental consent). Submissions must be written in English and are judged anonymously. Simultaneous submissions are permitted provided the organizers are notified immediately upon acceptance elsewhere.

Top prize: US$500 cash, global publication and promotion to over 7 million monthly readers, custom artwork (map, infographic, or family tree) by an in-house cartographer, story translation into multiple languages, and a lifetime World History Encyclopedia membership.

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The FFF Competition Thirty-Five is a flash fiction competition hosted by Free Flash Fiction. Entrants can write on any theme. It is judged by Kate Axeford.

Stories must be between 100 and 300 words, excluding the title. Entries must be new or previously unpublished, written in English, and submitted by the individual author. There is no limit on the number of entries, but each must be submitted and paid for separately.

The winner receives £200 and publication. Two highly commended entries receive £100 and publication each. Three shortlisted entries receive £80 and publication each. The winner is also invited to judge the next competition.

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The 2026 Ekphrastic Poetry Prize is organised by Palette Poetry, an online literary journal dedicated to publishing contemporary poetry. The competition invites poets to submit ekphrastic poems — works inspired by or responding to a specific piece of visual art, including paintings, photographs, sculptures, films, or the writer’s own images. The contest is judged by poet and educator Divya Victor, and submissions must be original, previously unpublished poems written primarily in English.

Poets may submit up to three poems in a single document, with each poem beginning on a new page. The competition accepts international entries and welcomes the inclusion of other languages as long as the work is largely written in English. Palette Poetry does not accept AI-produced or AI-assisted work.

Prizes: $3,000, publication, and a brief interview in Palette Poetry. Second place receives $300 and publication, while third place receives $200 and publication.

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The Cranked Anvil Quarterly Flash Fiction Competition invites writers to submit original, unpublished flash fiction of up to 500 words on any theme or genre. Run by Cranked Anvil, an independent press and digital publishing service established in 2012, the competition runs four times a year, with deadlines at the end of February, May, August, and November.

Entrants may submit up to three stories per quarter, each submitted as a separate document via email. Stories must be previously unpublished (including on personal blogs or websites) and written in English. Writers must be aged 16 or over; the competition is open internationally.

Beyond the two cash prizes of £100 and £30, an unlimited number of Special Mentions are awarded each quarter. All placed and commended stories, including Special Mentions, are published on the Cranked Anvil website, guaranteed inclusion in a future digital anthology, and professionally produced as audio recordings broadcast on Radio Northumberland and made available on demand online worldwide. A selection of short-listed entries may also be considered for anthology inclusion and audio recording.

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The Charleston Writing Contest is organised by Bound by Words Magazine and hosted via Chatoyant Magazine. It invites writers to submit original work – fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry – inspired by Charleston, South Carolina. The theme is open, but all submissions must be grounded in Charleston itself: its history, beauty, contradictions, resilience, secrets, and soul. Work may be rooted in the past or present, real or imagined, so long as the city is central to the piece.

The contest is open to emerging and established writers worldwide, and welcomes writing that feels vivid, intentional, and emotionally resonant – writing that could only be about Charleston. Submissions must be original and unpublished;

The winner receives a $500 cash prize and publication, with up to 10 honourable mentions also considered for publication.

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The Tupelo Press 2026 Summer Open Reading Period is a poetry manuscript submission window for full-length and chapbook-length collections. Submissions are accepted for publication consideration rather than judged as a contest. The press selects manuscripts it wants to publish and typically builds much of its annual catalogue from this reading period.

Eligible manuscripts include book-length poetry collections (48–90 pages) and chapbook-length poetry collections (28–47 pages). The work must be unpublished as a complete collection; previously self-published books are not eligible, though individual poems may have appeared in journals or anthologies. Open internationally to English-language writers regardless of publication history. Multiple submissions are allowed, but each requires a separate fee.

Selected manuscripts receive publication, a $1,000 advance, a book launch, and national distribution with promotional support.

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The Nine Syllables Press Chapbook Contest is an annual competition run by Nine Syllables Press, a student-involved small press affiliated with Smith College. The contest invites submissions of original, unpublished poetry chapbooks and is judged in a two-stage anonymous process: students enrolled in Smith College’s chapbook publishing courses provide initial reads before passing finalists to a named guest judge.

Eligibility is restricted by gender: the contest is open to trans and nonbinary poets of all genders, and to cis women poets, with particular encouragement for trans/LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC poets. Poets may have previously published full collections, but the submitted manuscript must be unpublished as a whole; individual poems may have prior publication credits.

The 2026 guest judge is poet Nicole Sealey.

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The Oxford Poetry Prize is an annual single-poem competition organised by Partus Press Ltd on behalf of Oxford Poetry magazine. The 2026 prize is judged by poet and critic Rowan Ricardo Phillips, with entries initially sifted by the Oxford Poetry editorial team before shortlisted and prize-winning poems are passed to the guest judge.

Entrants must submit original, previously unpublished poems written primarily in English (self-translations are permitted provided the original has not been previously published). Each poem must be submitted as a separate PDF file via Submittable and must not exceed 60 lines; blank lines, titles, subtitles, dedications, and epigraphs do not count toward the line limit. There is no limit on the number of poems an individual may enter.

The competition is open internationally to writers aged 18 or over. The winner receives £2,000 and publication in a print issue of Oxford Poetry; the runner-up receives £1,000 and is offered publication; the third-place poet receives £500 and is also offered publication. Oxford Poetry holds exclusive publication rights to the winning poem for four months, after which rights revert to the author.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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Sundress Publications is an independent, volunteer-run poetry press running an open reading period for full-length poetry manuscripts. It’s part of a rotating annual submissions calendar that also includes chapbook contests, a broadside contest, and a prose reading period. Sundress especially encourages authors from marginalized and underrepresented communities to submit, including writers of color, trans and nonbinary writers, and disabled writers.

Manuscripts must be 48 to 80 single-spaced pages. Work cannot have previously appeared in any full-length collection, including a self-published one, though individual pieces may have appeared in anthologies, chapbooks, or journals. Manuscripts translated from another language are not accepted. Simultaneous submissions are allowed. Submissions are open only to authors who reside in the United States.

At least two manuscripts will be selected for publication, with a standard publication contract that includes 25 author copies plus any additional copies at cost. The first submission from any writer is free between 1 and 14 June 2026; after that, the reading fee is $15 per manuscript, waived for anyone who purchases or pre-orders a Sundress title or broadside. The fee is waived entirely for BIPOC writers for the full reading period. Authors may submit multiple manuscripts, each accompanied by its own fee or waiver.

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The St. Lawrence Book Award is an annual first-book prize from Black Lawrence Press, an independent literary publisher. It’s open to any writer who has not yet published a full-length manuscript in any genre, for an unpublished debut collection of poetry, short stories, or essays. Novels and memoirs are not eligible. Entries are read blind by senior Black Lawrence Press editors alongside a rotating panel of past St. Lawrence Book Award winners.

Poetry manuscripts should run 45 to 95 pages, and prose manuscripts (short story or essay collections) 120 to 280 pages. Individual pieces within a manuscript may have been previously published in journals or anthologies, but the manuscript as a whole must not have appeared previously as a published collection. Simultaneous and multiple submissions are permitted. Collaborative or hybrid/multi-genre collections are welcome. Fee waivers are available on request, submitted at least seven days before the deadline.

Past winners include Grace H. Zhou, Shubha Sunder, Charlie Peck, and Max McDonough.

The winner receives book publication, a $1,000 cash award, and ten copias of the finished book.

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The Chalk Circle Short Story Competition is run by Chalk Circle Writers. The 2026 edition introduces a new circular flash fiction category, The 360, alongside the existing Chalk Circle 1500 category. The 360 asks writers to produce a piece of circular flash fiction that “turns 360 degrees,” ending where it began, drawing inspiration from the Ouroboros symbol of self-reflection, renewal, and cyclical creation.

Entries for the 1500 category must not exceed 1,500 words, and entries for the 360 category must be exactly 360 words, both excluding title, headers, and footers. Entries must be prose fiction only, on any subject, in any genre except children’s fiction, written in English, and previously unpublished. The competition is open to anyone in the world aged 18 or over, except present or past members of Chalk Circle Writers.

Payment is made via the organiser’s online shop using a promo code. Winners are notified in November 2026 and announced on the Chalk Circle website. Copyright remains with the author. Winning entries may be published on the Chalk Circle website, though publication is not guaranteed.

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The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award celebrates outstanding writers and was launched to support the next generation of literary talent. The Award is open to Poetry and Short Fiction submissions on any theme, however, the organizers are particularly interested in works that reflect upon our ever changing world. Poetry entries should be no more than 40 lines. Fiction entries should be no more than 2,000 words.

Prizes:

• £5,000 prize money (£2,500 for the Poetry Winner, £2,500 for the Short Fiction Winner)
• Publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Anthology
• One-year print subscription to Granta (Poetry & Fiction Winners)
• One-year digital subscription to Mslexia (Poetry & Fiction Winners)
• Six-Week Online Course from Curtis Brown Creative (Poetry Winner)
• A course from the Poetry School (Poetry Winner)
• Consultation with Redhammer Management (Fiction Winner)
• Six-week writing short stories course from Curtis Brown Creative (Fiction Winner)
• Full membership to Litopia (Poetry & Fiction Winners)
• One-year Deluxe Subscription to The London Magazine (Poetry & Fiction Winners)

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The Anthology Personal Memoir Competition is open to original and previously unpublished memoirs in the English language by writers of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. In the spirit of authenticity, there are no constraints on themes or writing styles. Authors are invited to share a unique life experience. Whether your memoir recounts a transformative journey, a poignant moment, or a life-altering event, we welcome your story. Memoirs submitted must not exceed a maximum of 1,500 words.

The winner will receive a €500 and the chance to see their work published in a future issue of Anthology.

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The Plough Short Fiction Contest is a newly established, international short fiction competition hosted by Plough, a quarterly magazine published by Plough Publishing House. The contest is open to writers anywhere in the world.

The magazine is seeking short fiction that honors the mysterious nature of reality and finds transcendence and redemption in unexpected places, with an interest in fictional elements like magical realism and a traditional “tale” voice (though the contest is not limited to stories using these techniques). Authors cited as exemplary of the style being sought include Italo Calvino, Jorge Luis Borges, Susanna Clarke, Toni Morrison, Isak Dinesen, Eugene Vodolazkin, Tim Powers, Karen Russell, and James McBride.

Submissions must be previously unpublished and not entered elsewhere. Each contestant is permitted one story of no more than 5,000 words, written in English. Plough editors will select ten to fifteen stories for further consideration before reaching a consensus on the winner and finalists.

The winning writer receives $2,000 and publication in Plough. Up to three finalists receive $250 each and are also published in Plough, in print and/or online. Results will be announced in November 2026 on the Plough website.

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The Best in Rural Writing Contest is run by The Milk House, an online literary platform dedicated to exploring the rural experience through fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and music. The contest accepts both short stories and creative essays, and work that has already been published (or is scheduled for publication) elsewhere is eligible to enter.

Submissions must be connected in some way to “the rural” — the interpretation of this is deliberately broad and not limited to rural characters or settings. Entries are read anonymously by the judge; the 2026 judge is celebrated American author Will Weaver. Ten entries will be shortlisted, from which the judge selects the best short story and best essay. A final vote — split between the audience, the judge, a co-sponsor, and a Milk House staff member — determines the overall winner.

The contest is international and open to writers worldwide. WRITER or SUPPORTER subscribers to The Milk House may enter one submission free of charge. The top two finalists will have the option to be published in the print Best in Rural Writing anthology; shortlisted authors may also elect to have their work published on The Milk House website in 2027.

First place receives $500 and second place $200.

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The Climate Playwriting Prize is organised by Shakespeare’s Globe in London as part of its ongoing commitment to climate action and environmental storytelling. The prize seeks an original, full-length play that responds to the climate crisis and explores its human, social, political, or ecological dimensions. The competition is aimed at writers who are passionate about theatre and environmental issues, and whose work engages meaningfully with the realities of climate change.

Submissions must be original, unpublished full-length plays written in English. The selected script will be developed with the Globe, offering the winning playwright professional support and the opportunity to see their work realised within one of the UK’s most prominent theatrical institutions. The prize forms part of Shakespeare’s Globe’s wider climate and sustainability initiatives, encouraging artists to imagine bold, urgent, and theatrically compelling responses to the defining issue of our time.

Submitted plays:

• Should be full length plays, of 70 minutes or longer
• Should be written by UK and UK-based playwrights in the English language
• Should not have had a previous production

The winning playwright will receive:

• A cash prize of £15,000
• Dramaturgical support on the development of the play to rehearsal draft with specialists at the Globe, Climate Spring and Fern Culture
• Industry exposure to leading theatre professionals
• The winning play will be optioned for production at the Globe, with an aspiration to produce, or supported by the award producers to find a home for the play.

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The Democracy School Essay Competition is hosted by Teen World of Arts (TWoA) in partnership with the European Democracy Institute at Bard College Berlin. It is the first annual edition of the competition, inviting young writers to explore how the arts intersect with democracy, politics, and society.

Entrants choose one of four set prompts covering topics such as art created in exile, music and propaganda, a personal “city letter” about a cultural event, and music as a tool of reconciliation. Essays must be 500–1,000 words and written in English. Each submission must be accompanied by a short biographical note of 100 words or fewer. The competition does not permit the use of AI to generate ideas, outline, draft, or edit the essay.

Entries are split into a junior category (high school students in years 11–12) and a senior category (undergraduates). In each category, the first-place winner receives EUR 200, written jury feedback, an individual online feedback session with faculty from Bard College Berlin or TWoA‘s editor-in-chief, and a certificate. Second- and third-place winners receive the feedback session and certificate. The three winning essays in each category are published on the TWoA website, TWoA’s Substack, and the European Democracy Institute‘s website.

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The Lantern Lighters Contest is run by The Lantern and the Pen, a small press dedicated to creating fiction for children. The contest is designed specifically for teen writers taking their first steps in submitting work, offering a safe and supportive environment to develop their craft.

Entrants must submit an original short story of up to 1,000 words centred on the theme of Belonging, written for an upper Middle Grade or YA audience. Accepted genres are contemporary, historical fiction, fantasy, and science fiction. Stories must not contain profanity, gore, or sexual content, and no part of the story may be generated or edited by AI. Up to two submissions per author are permitted.

The first-place winner receives a $50 Amazon gift card, the Lantern Lighters 2026 Award, editorial feedback, and publication on the website and social media. Second place receives a $25 Amazon gift card, editorial feedback, and publication; third place receives publication on the website and social media.

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The Young Lions Fiction Award is an annual literary prize presented by the New York Public Library, established in 2001 by Ethan Hawke, Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, Rick Moody, and Hannah McFarland. It recognizes early-career American fiction writers aged 35 or younger.

Eligible works are novels, graphic novels, or short story collections written for adults, published in the qualifying calendar year, by a US citizen who is 35 or younger at the time of publication. Entries are made by the author’s publisher only; authors cannot submit their own work. Five finalists are chosen by a reading committee of NYPL’s Young Lions members, writers, editors, and librarians, and a panel of judges selects the winner from that shortlist.

The winner receives $10,000 and is honored at an award ceremony held each spring at NYPL’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. Past winners include Alexander Sammartino, Carrie R. Moore, E.J. Koh, Zain Khalid, Catherine Lacey, Bryan Washington, and Ling Ma.

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The McNeile Writing Competition is organised by Clapham Writers, a South West London writing charity, in honour of the late Penelope McNeile. Run in association with the Clapham Book Festival, it is open to unpublished and self-published writers of all levels, celebrating creativity, diversity, and emerging literary voices.

Entrants must submit an original, previously unpublished opening section of a short story responding to the theme “Absent Friends“. The theme may be interpreted broadly, encompassing ideas of memory, loss, distance, reunion, nostalgia, or the enduring presence of those no longer with us. Submissions must be a maximum of 1,000 words or two paragraphs, whichever is the shorter.

The competition is open to residents of the United Kingdom only. Entries are judged by a panel of published authors appointed by Clapham Writers. Winners are announced at the Clapham Book Festival on 17 October 2026. Authors retain copyright; winners and shortlisted entrants may have their work published or promoted in connection with the competition, with full credit given.

First prize is £200, with second and third prizes of £50 each.

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The Southam Book Festival Flash Fiction Competition is an annual 100-word story contest run as part of the Southam Book Festival, held each October in Southam, Warwickshire. Each year a judge selects a required keyword that must appear somewhere in the story (but not as the title); the 2026 word is HORIZON. The competition attracted over 250 entries from around the world in 2025.

Entrants must be aged 16 or over. Stories must be 100 words or fewer, must include a title (counted within the word limit), and must contain the keyword “horizon”. Stories must be previously unpublished, must not be simultaneously entered elsewhere, and must be submitted by email with payment made in advance via PayPal. Authors retain copyright, though the festival reserves the right to publish a selection of entries.

The competition is international and open to writers worldwide aged 16 and over. Shortlisted entrants will be named on the Southam Book Festival website, and the winner and runners-up will be announced after the festival. Cash prizes are £60 for first place, £30 for second, and £20 for third.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Cheltenham Poetry Festival International Poetry Prize is an annual poetry competition hosted by Cheltenham Poetry Festival, a UK poetry festival founded in 2011 by poet Anna Saunders.

Poems must be in English, unpublished, and no more than 50 lines long. Entrants may submit as many poems as they wish. The competition is open to all entrants all over the world.

This year’s competition is judged by poet and novelist Rosie Garland. All entries will be read by Rosie Garland before she makes the final selection of winning and highly commended poems.

The three prize winners will be offered the opportunity to read at one of the festival’s online poetry lounges. Winning poems will be published on the Cheltenham Poetry Festival website. A prize may be split between two winners if two entries are judged of equal merit.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Intrepid Voices Fund is a short story competition hosted by Intrepid Imagination, aimed at supporting emerging writers early in their creative journey. This cycle’s theme is spooky speculative fiction. Science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories are welcome; contemporary and historical fiction are not eligible.

Entrants submit one original short story of up to 2,000 words. Stories may have been previously published online, in a magazine, or entered in other contests, as long as they are not part of an already-published novel or assigned an ISBN. Submissions are judged in two phases: an opening-250-words screening round, followed by full scoring of finalists against a published rubric.

Two cash awards are given each year. Finalists are asked to submit an author bio and photo, and an optional workshop session is held after winners are announced. Judges also offer optional paid written feedback for a separate fee.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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Terrain.org’s 17th Annual Contest is an award in poetry, nonfiction, and fiction, hosted by Terrain.org, an online literary journal of place publishing essays, poetry, fiction, and art on the built and natural environment since 1998. This year’s judges are Todd Boss (poetry), Lia Purpura (nonfiction), and Joe Wilkins (fiction).

Poetry entries consist of 1 to 5 poems combined into a single document, up to 7 pages total. Fiction entries are one story of up to 5,000 words, or up to two flash fictions of up to 1,000 words each. Nonfiction entries are one essay or article of up to 5,000 words, or up to two flash essays of up to 1,000 words each. The journal is especially interested in personal essays, lyric essays, memoir, and literary journalism.

Submissions must not include identifying author information and must not have been previously published in any format, including blogs or social media. Simultaneous submissions are allowed. Up to three entries may be submitted across all genres.

The first-place winner in each genre receives $1,000 and publication on Terrain.org. Finalists in each genre also receive publication and a $200 prize. All submissions are considered for publication. Winners and finalists are announced in December 2026.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The BPA Short Story Award is run by the Blue Pencil Agency, a UK-based editorial and literary agency, with the aim of discovering emerging short fiction writers who may go on to write novels. The competition is open to unrepresented and unpublished authors of fiction worldwide, writing in English, and accepts any genre except children’s fiction and non-fiction (YA is permitted with adult crossover appeal).

Entrants must submit a single, complete, original short story of up to 2,500 words via online entry on the BPA website, with a £20 entry fee paid through PayPal. Multiple stories may be entered, but each must be submitted separately. Previously published or prize-winning stories are accepted provided no publication retains exclusive rights, but writers who have traditionally published a novel or short story collection are not eligible.

This year’s judges are literary agent Corissa Hollenbeck (Janklow & Nesbit) and writer Sussie Anie. BPA also offers a minimum of 20 free entries for UK-based writers on low incomes or from under-represented backgrounds in publishing, available on application.

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The Wild Muse Nature Writing Prize is organised by Wild Muse, founded by writer Gabriela Blandy. The prize celebrates personal writing that explores our relationship with the natural world, and is judged this year by bestselling nature writer and journalist Alice Vincent, known for works including Rootbound and Why Women Grow.

Entrants must submit an original, previously unpublished piece in English of up to 2,000 words (including the title) on the theme of nature’s power to heal, guide, and transform. The organisers welcome writing in which the natural world is an active presence — shaping thought, feeling, and change — and are open to a range of forms including essays, personal narratives, and diary entries.

The competition is open to writers worldwide. Ten bursary places are available for writers who would find the entry fee prohibitive; applicants should email the organisers with evidence of financial need before submitting.

The first-place winner receives £750; second place receives £300; third place receives £150. Winners grant Wild Muse the right to publish their work on the Wild Muse Substack; all copyright remains with the author.

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The Nature Writing Prize is organised by The Nature Conservancy Australia in partnership with Australian Book Review. Now in its eighth instalment, the prize invites Australian writers to help bring the wonder, beauty and fragility of nature to life through storytelling – deepening our collective appreciation for the natural world and inspiring more people to care about its future.

The 2026 theme is “Writing of place”, inviting writers to create essays that reveal the beauty, complexity, and significance of specific landscapes or environments. Entries should demonstrate how storytelling can deepen connections with nature and inspire greater understanding of environmental challenges.

The competition is open to nature writers from around the world. Winning essays will be published in the January/February 2027 issue of Australian Book Review.

Top prize: $8,000 and publication in Australian Book Review. A highly commended writer will receive the Rosina Joy Buckman Award of $1,000.

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The Cranked Anvil Quarterly Play Writing Competition is a new international competition seeking original radio and audio drama scripts for professional broadcast. Run by Cranked Anvil in partnership with Radio Northumberland, the competition runs four times a year, with deadlines at the end of March, June, September, and December.

Scripts should be written for radio or audio broadcast and run approximately 10–20 minutes in length. Any theme, genre, or setting is welcome, and there is no limit on the number of characters. Theatre or film scripts that can be adapted for audio are also eligible. Entries are judged by a panel headed by Cranked Anvil Editor-in-Chief Paul Dunn, who has written and performed for BBC Radio and whose theatre plays have been professionally produced throughout the UK. Entrants may submit up to three plays per quarter.

Beyond the cash prizes of £50 and £35, an unlimited number of Special Mentions are awarded each quarter. All placed and commended scripts, including Special Mentions, are professionally produced as audio recordings, broadcast on Radio Northumberland, made available on demand online worldwide, and guaranteed inclusion in a future playscripts digital anthology published by Cranked Anvil. A selection of short-listed entries may also be considered for recording and anthology inclusion.

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The Writers’ College Short Story Competition is an annual contest run by The Writers’ College. It is open to emerging writers aged 16 and over from around the world. The competition is specifically designed to support writers who are unpublished or have appeared in print no more than four times; professional journalists, copywriters and anyone who has earned a living from writing are not eligible to enter.

For 2026, the theme is The End of the Line. Entrants must write an original, unpublished story of up to 2,000 words in which the exact phrase “the end of the line” appears somewhere in the text. All genres are welcome, though the organisers note that literary fiction typically performs strongest with the judging panel. Only one entry per writer is permitted, and submissions must be in English.

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The First Page Challenge is an annual writing contest run by The Darling Axe, a Canadian editorial services company. The contest is open to writers of fiction, narrative nonfiction, short stories, and full-length manuscripts, and invites entrants to submit just the opening page of their work – the one that has to make a reader want to keep going.

Entries must be original, unpublished, and unrepresented work. Multiple submissions are accepted, each at the entry fee of $5 CAD. Judging is carried out by editor Michelle Barker, whose sole criterion is how compellingly the first page draws the reader in.

The top three finalists each receive cash prizes ($700, $200, and $100 CAD respectively), publication on The Darling Axe’s Chopping Blog, and a complimentary copy of one of the company’s craft books. An optional feedback add-on is also available for an additional $45 CAD, providing brief notes from the contest screeners, a score out of five, and relevant craft resources delivered after winners are announced.

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The Moth Nature Writing Prize is an international competition run by The Moth Magazine that aims to encourage and celebrate nature writing. The prize is awarded annually to an unpublished piece of prose or poetry that combines literary merit with an exploration of the writer’s relationship with the natural world. Entries are judged anonymously by a single judge each year. Previous judges have included Richard Mabey, Helen Macdonald, Max Porter, Kathleen Jamie and Cal Flyn.

The competition is open to writers worldwide aged 16 and over. Entries may consist of either a single poem of any length or a single prose piece, fiction or non-fiction, of up to 4,000 words. Work must be original, unpublished, written in English, and not previously self-published, published online or broadcast. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but AI-generated work is not eligible. There is no limit on the number of entries.

Although entries may be on any subject, they should reflect concerns about or appreciation for the natural world.

Submissions close on 30 September 2026 at 11:59 p.m. (Ireland time). The entry fee is €16 per poem or prose piece.

Prizes:

• 1st place: €1,000 and a one-week stay at The Moth Retreat in rural Ireland.
• 2nd place: €500.
• 3rd place: €250.

The winning entries are also published online by The Irish Times. Winners are expected to be notified by the end of November, with results announced in December.

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SaveAs Writers is a Canterbury-based writing group running its annual international competition, this year marking 150 years since Alexander Graham Bell’s first telephone call with the theme “Lines of Communication.” The theme is intentionally broad, inviting writers to explore communication in relationships, the internet age, human-AI or human-robot interaction, or between nations and cultures — along with the limits, difficulties, and unintended consequences of communication itself.

The competition runs two parallel categories: poetry (up to 60 lines) and short stories (up to 3,500 words), each judged separately and each carrying its own prize purse. Entries are welcomed from both UK and international writers.

The Poetry category awards the Canterbury Christ Church University Poetry Prize, judged by Derek Sellen and Mary Anne Smith Sellen, while the Prose category awards the Canterbury Festival Fiction Prize, sponsored by Canterbury Festival and judged by Emma May Cruickshank. Both categories offer identical prize tiers: £200 for first place, £100 for second, and £50 for third.

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The Anthology Nature Writing Competition 2026 is organised by Anthology Magazine, a lifestyle and creative publication based in Ireland that runs periodic writing awards. This competition invites writers to craft original, nature-themed non-fiction essays or creative reflections that explore aspects of the natural world, from close-to-home observations to broader environmental ideas.

Submissions must be original, previously unpublished works written in English with a maximum length of 1,500 words. There is no specified minimum word count beyond being a complete piece, and writers may submit multiple entries, each with a separate entry form and fee. Themes are open within the broad remit of nature and the environment; there is no fixed prompt. Entries must not have been published before in any other format.

The competition is international and open to writers of any age, nationality, or country of residence. Anthology magazine will judge entries and select the winner based on creativity, insight, and engagement with the natural world. The winning piece is eligible for publication in a future issue of Anthology.

The first-place winner receives €300 and publication in Anthology magazine.

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The Anthology Flash Fiction Award 2026 is organised by Anthology Magazine, an Ireland-based creative and lifestyle publication that hosts international writing competitions. The award seeks original, previously unpublished flash fiction pieces, offering writers a platform to showcase concise storytelling with strong narrative impact.

Submissions must be written in English, original, and unpublished in any format. Each story should be up to 250 words and can explore any theme or subject. Writers may submit multiple entries, with a separate entry fee for each submission.

The competition is international, open to writers of all ages and nationalities. Entries are judged by the editorial team at Anthology Magazine, with winners selected for their originality, narrative skill, and engagement within the flash fiction form.

The first-place winner receives €300 and publication in Anthology Magazine. Runners-up may receive recognition or publication at the discretion of the organisers.

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The Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction is an annual competition organised by Dzanc Books, an independent non-profit literary publisher, recognising daring, original, and innovative novels. Contest fees support both the prize fund and Dzanc’s broader literary programmes, including its Writers-in-Residence programme in public schools and low-cost workshops for writers.

Entrants must submit a full, previously unpublished novel-length manuscript (generally over 40,000 words, though there is no hard minimum) along with a brief synopsis, author bio, and contact information. Simultaneous submissions are permitted. Children’s books and YA fiction are not eligible, nor are previously released or self-published titles. Active and former Dzanc authors and employees are not eligible.

Submissions are open from 1 March to midnight on 30 September. Finalists are selected in-house before being passed to a panel of judges; the winning submission and a shortlist are announced on the Dzanc website in November. The 2026 judges are Alyssa Quinn, Alan Michael Parker, and Ruyan Meng.

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The Miller Williams Poetry Prize is organised by University of Arkansas Press in honor of the late poet and press cofounder Miller Williams. The prize recognises outstanding unpublished full-length poetry manuscripts and offers emerging and established poets the opportunity for professional publication.

Eligible submissions are full-length poetry manuscripts between 60 and 90 pages, previously unpublished as a book. Individual poems may have appeared in journals, chapbooks, or anthologies. Work in translation is not accepted. Manuscripts are judged anonymously, and each author may submit only one manuscript per year. The competition is international, open to poets worldwide, provided the work is in English.

The prize is judged by series editor Patricia Smith, with the assistance of screeners. Three manuscripts are selected for publication in the Miller Williams Poetry Series; from these, one winner receives the $5,000 Miller Williams Poetry Prize. Winners benefit from full professional editing, design, and production by the press.

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The Six Word Wonder Contest is an annual microfiction competition run by Doug Weller, author and storyteller. The contest is free to enter and open to anyone aged 16 or over worldwide.

Now in its 2026 edition, the contest invites writers worldwide to craft a complete story, memoir, poem, or joke in exactly six words, with over 30,000 entries submitted across previous rounds. Each entrant may submit up to five entries. All entries must be original, unpublished work written in English. Judging is blind, and entries are assessed on creativity, originality, and impact.

The winner is awarded $100 cash and the title of Six Word Wonder 2026; shortlisted entries are also published in a future volume of the Six Word Wonder book series. Writers retain copyright of their work.

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The Scribes Prize is an annual micro-fiction competition run by Fairfield Scribes, the team behind the magazine ScribesMICRO. It welcomes any genre of fiction, creative nonfiction, or prose poetry (but not line poetry) written in 90–110 words. Entrants may submit up to three stories, each accompanied by its own $5 entry fee.

Reprints and simultaneous submissions are permitted as long as the author retains publishing rights. Winning entries must be available for publication in ScribesMICRO Issue 64. Use of generative AI at any stage of writing or editing results in disqualification.

Submissions are judged in two rounds: an initial read by first-round judges, followed by a blind read of finalists by a panel of ScribesMICRO editors once the window closes on 1 October 2026. Every entrant receives an email update on their story’s status within 2–4 weeks, along with 1–2 sentences of feedback.

Prizes: Gold: $250, Silver: $125, Bronze: $60, plus 15 Honorable Mentions at $20 each. Winners and honorable mentions are published in ScribesMICRO’s Issue 64 (November 2026) with a full-page bio, photo, and interview, plus a digital award seal for personal use.

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The Writer’s Digest Personal Essay Awards is an annual personal essay competition hosted by Writer’s Digest magazine. This year’s top winners are chosen by Special Guest Judge William Kenower, Editor-in-Chief of Author magazine.

Entries must be original personal essays of 2,000 words or fewer, written in English, and not previously published in print, digital, or online publications. Self-published blog or social-media posts are allowed. Entrants must be 18 or older. Grand-prize winners from this or other Writer’s Digest competitions are ineligible for three years after winning.

The grand prize winner receives $2,500 in cash, an interview and published essay feature in Writer’s Digest magazine’s May/June 2027 issue and on WritersDigest.com, a paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference including a pitch session with editors or agents, a one-year Writer’s Digest subscription, and a 20% discount at Writer’s Digest University. Second place receives $1,000, third place $500.

Winners will be notified by December 31, 2026.

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The John Steinbeck Award for Fiction is an annual short fiction contest run by Reed Magazine, the literary journal of San José State University’s Department of English and Comparative Literature. Named in honour of the Nobel Prize-winning author who was born and raised in the region, the award recognises exceptional stand-alone short stories across a wide range of styles, including experimental and literary approaches.

Entrants must submit an original, unpublished short story of up to 5,000 words. Submissions must be stand-alone works and not excerpts or chapters from a longer piece. Multiple entries are permitted as separate submissions, each requiring its own fee. Unsuccessful contest entries may still be considered for publication in the journal or online.

The $25 entry fee includes a copy of the latest edition of Reed Magazine; US-addressed submitters receive a print copy, while those with international addresses receive a digital copy. Results are communicated to entrants by the end of December 2026.

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The Folk Horror Short Story Contest is run by Briar Press NY, a small independent publisher seeking previously unpublished short stories in the folk-horror tradition, set in any time period, place, or culture. The press is explicitly looking for atmospheric, nature-driven, ritual-and-folktale-infused storytelling in the vein of works like The Wicker Man, Rosemary’s Baby, and The Lottery.

Submissions must run 5–30 pages (roughly 2,500–15,000 words) and should be sent in Word or PDF format directly via email, with the author’s name, title, and page numbers on the manuscript, along with a short cover letter noting any prior publishing history and contact details.

Winners will be announced 1 December 2026, with the winning story to be included in Briar Press NY’s upcoming anthology These Rotted Things, released Spring 2027. The prize includes full publishing support — design, formatting, and release in digital and soft-trade paperback — plus promotion via Briar Press’s social media and Goodreads presence, and 3 free copies of the printed book for the author.

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The Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest is organised by Winning Writers, a U.S.-based nonprofit that runs international writing contests for poets and prose writers. This annual competition highlights outstanding poems in any style or genre as well as traditional or rhymed poetry, offering substantial cash prizes and publication opportunities.

Entrants may submit up to three original poems per entry, each poem written in English and no longer than 250 lines. Poems may be previously published or unpublished; all are judged anonymously, and submissions should omit identifying information. The contest is open to writers globally (with some country restrictions due to U.S. government regulations on certain regions).

The competition is international, open to writers of any age and nationality whose work meets the guidelines. Submissions are made via the online entry system during the contest period, and winning poems are published on the Winning Writers website.

Prizes:

The contest awards two top prizes, each $3,500 — one for a poem in any style or genre (the Tom Howard Prize) and one for a poem that rhymes or uses a traditional style (the Margaret Reid Prize). In addition, ten honorable mentions of $500 each are given, and the top 12 entries are published online. Two-year Duotrope gift certificates are also awarded to the top two winners.

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The Peter Porter Poetry Prize is organised by the Australian Book Review and honours the life and work of the acclaimed Australian poet Peter Porter (1929–2010), who was a long-time contributor to ABR. The prize is one of Australia’s most prestigious and highly awarded poetry competitions, celebrating outstanding contemporary poetry written in English.

The competition invites poets to submit original, previously unpublished poems of up to 60 lines. Entries may explore any subject and use any style, with submissions judged on their literary merit. Poems must be written in English and submitted online through the Australian Book Review website.

The winner will receive AU$6,000, while four shortlisted poets will each receive AU$1,000.

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The Book Pipeline Adaptation Contest is an annual competition run by Pipeline Media Group, seeking published books, graphic novels, comics, and short stories with strong potential for film or television adaptation. Now in its 13th year, the contest is open to writers worldwide and accepts entries across all genres, including fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and horror.

Books and graphic novels must already be published (traditionally or self-published), or due for release before January 2027. Short stories are the exception and may be unpublished. Entries are judged on concept originality, quality of writing, and viability for adaptation in the current marketplace. Fiction and nonfiction entrants should submit approximately the first 5,000 words along with a logline and a 1–3 page synopsis; short story entrants submit the complete story with a brief overview.

The winner receives $5,000 in cash, extensive project development with Pipeline’s in-house team to prepare a script or pitch, and circulation to over 200 production companies, managers, agents, and industry executives. Authors retain all rights to their work regardless of their placement in the contest.

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The Book Pipeline Unpublished Contest is run by Book Pipeline, a division of Pipeline Media Group that has connected writers to publishers, agents, and the film industry since 2014. Now in its 7th year, the contest reviews unpublished manuscripts across ten categories: Comic & Graphic Novel, General Fiction, Horror/Mystery/Thriller, Literary, Middle Grade & Chapter Book, Nonfiction & Memoir, Picture Book, Romance, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, and Young Adult.

Submission requirements vary by category. Fiction, Memoir, and similar categories require the first 5,000 words (approximately) plus a full story synopsis; Comics and Graphic Novels require 20–28 pages of formatted script or manuscript plus a synopsis; Nonfiction requires a full book proposal; Picture Books require the full manuscript plus a brief conceptual overview. A completed manuscript is not required at entry for fiction (though it is recommended for memoir). Entrants retain all rights to their work regardless of placement. International entrants are accepted, and simultaneous submissions elsewhere are permitted.

Entry uses a tiered pricing structure based on submission date, with six deadlines running from a Pre-register tier (30 January 2026, $35) through an Extended tier (15 October 2026, $70).

Winners (one per category) receive $2,500 each, plus ongoing development and mentoring from the Book Pipeline executive team, industry circulation to a network of agents, publishers, and editors (a partial list is published on the organiser’s site), consideration for film/TV adaptation where applicable, and invitations to private Symposium events. Book Pipeline states it does not take a percentage of any resulting publication deal or advance, and does not act as the author’s agent or publisher.

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The Alice James Award is an annual full-length poetry manuscript competition run by Alice James Books, an independent cooperative poetry press based in New Gloucester, Maine. The award welcomes submissions from both emerging and established poets and is committed to publishing work that elevates historically marginalised voices and engages readers on important social issues.

Entrants must submit a full-length, previously unpublished poetry manuscript of 48 to 100 pages (single-spaced), with a numbered table of contents and paginated throughout. Individual poems may have appeared previously in magazines, anthologies, or chapbooks of fewer than 25 pages, but the collection as a whole must be unpublished. Translations, self-published books, and multi-authored collections are not eligible.

All manuscripts are screened anonymously by a minimum of two readers, at least one of whom is a board member. Finalists are then reviewed non-anonymously by the full editorial board, who select the winner. In addition to the winning manuscript, one or more additional manuscripts may be selected as Editor’s Choice for publication.

The competition is open to US residents only.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Eyelands Book Awards is an international book awards competition hosted by Strange Days Books, based in Greece. It is now in its 9th consecutive year. The competition is open to writers of any nationality, with manuscripts submitted in English.

Writers may enter across twelve award categories. There is a separate short story contest exclusively for entrants under 18. Both published and unpublished books are eligible. Published books must have been published between 20 September 2016 and 20 October 2026. Multiple and simultaneous submissions are allowed. Entries are checked with an AI detection tool.

Grand prize winners in the published-books category receive a five-day stay in Athens to attend the award ceremony, including entry to the Acropolis, a public transport pass, and a return ferry ticket to Aegina. The grand prize winner in the unpublished-books category receives a translation of their book into Greek and publication by Strange Days Books, along with three complimentary copies.

All 24 prize and grand prize winners receive a handmade ceramic award and a certification document, and selected excerpts from prize-winning books are published online and translated into Greek for eyelands.gr.

One euro from every submission is donated to the UNHCR’s Greece office.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Bedford Short Story and Poetry Competition is an established nonprofit organisation that has run annual short story and poetry competitions since 2012. Open to writers worldwide aged 17 and over, it offers prizes across multiple categories: the main international prize, a Bedford Prize for local residents, and the Cygnature Prize for writers aged 17–25.

Entries must be original, previously unpublished work written in English. Short stories must not exceed 3,000 words (title excluded) and must be typed, double-spaced in a readable 12-point font, with nothing that identifies the author. Online entry is available to all international entrants; postal entry is restricted to UK addresses only.

Shortlisted and winning entries are published in an anthology available as both an e-book and a paperback. Results are announced at an annual Presentation of Awards Event.

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Established to recognise and encourage excellence in the craft of poetry writing and to provide a platform for publication, the Anthology Poetry Competition is open to original and previously unpublished poems in the English language.

Entries are invited from poets of all nationalities, living anywhere in the world. There is no restriction on theme or style. Poems submitted should not exceed 40 lines. There is no limit to entries per person. Each submission will require a separate entry form and is subject to a separate entry fee.

Entries are judged anonymously by poet Dr Rachael Hegarty. The winner receives a cash prize and publication in a future issue of Anthology, along with a one-year Reedsy Learning membership. Second and third place receive cash prizes, and all shortlisted entrants receive a Reedsy Learning masterclass. All entrants receive a 10% Reedsy Learning membership discount.

Prizes

• FIRST: The winner will receive a €1,000 cash prize and the chance to see their work published in a future issue of Anthology.
• SECOND: €250
• THIRD: €150

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Aluminium Crown Short Story Contest is a themed writing competition run by The Aluminium Crown Contest Collective, a small independent organisation based in Melbourne, Australia. Now in its second year, the contest is built around a speculative prompt tied to a fictional future event — in 2026, a story premise involving Melbourne’s Central Business District being enclosed in a protective structure called the “Central Business Cube.” Entrants must write an original story that engages with this central conceit, though they have creative freedom in setting and approach.

Submissions close 31 October 2026, with one original entry per author (single or multi-authored) accepted, Entrants must be 18 or older, and stories must be unpublished elsewhere (including on blogs or social media). Judging is anonymous: a panel will select a longlist of 20, then a shortlist of three, before choosing a first-place winner by consensus. A separate “Judge’s Prize” story also receives publication but no cash award.

The contest is funded entirely through a container deposit scheme (recycling cans and bottles for cash in Victoria, Australia), with organisers topping up any shortfall to guarantee the AUD$300 minimum prize. Winning stories are published on the contest website, and the organisers are considering a print edition in future years if the contest grows.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The National Poetry Competition is organised by The Poetry Society, which has run the prize annually since 1978. Widely regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious single-poem competitions, it welcomes original, unpublished poems in English on any subject from poets at every stage of their careers. Entries are judged anonymously by a panel of distinguished poets, with the 2026 judges being Niall Campbell, Malika Booker, and Luke Kennard.

Each poem must have a title and be no longer than 40 lines (excluding the title, blank lines, and dedications). Poems must be the entrant’s own original work, must not have been previously published or made publicly available in any form before the winners are announced. There is no limit to the number of poems an entrant may submit.

Top prize: £5,000. Second prize: £3,000. Third prize: £2,000. Seven commended poets receive £500 each. The top three winning poems are also published in The Poetry Review.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Novel Opening & Synopsis Competition is run by Flash 500, the UK-based writing competition platform. It invites published, self-published, and unpublished novelists to submit the opening of an unpublished novel alongside a compelling synopsis, and is judged by the editorial team at Bookouture, the digital-first commercial fiction publisher.

Entrants submit up to 3,000 words of their novel opening — which may be one or more chapters — together with a synopsis of no more than 750 words, in a single file. If a first chapter runs longer than 3,000 words, the entry should be closed within the word limit with a note that the chapter continues.

The competition is open to writers worldwide and welcomes simultaneous submissions, provided entrants notify Flash 500 if their work is accepted elsewhere. An optional paid critique of the entry and synopsis is available for an additional £35.

First prize is £500 and second prize is £200.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Contest is an annual competition run by FC2 (Fiction Collective 2), an author-run, not-for-profit publisher dedicated to artistically adventurous and non-traditional fiction. The contest seeks manuscripts that push the limits of American publishing – work considered too challenging, innovative, or unconventional for mainstream commercial publishers.

Eligible entries may take the form of a novel, one or more novellas, or a collection of short stories, with no minimum or maximum length requirement. The manuscript must be unpublished as a whole, though individual pieces that have previously appeared in magazines or anthologies may be included in a collection. The contest is open to writers of, from, or in the United States writing in English who have not previously published with FC2.

FC2 particularly encourages submissions from writers who are Black, Indigenous, people of colour, disabled, LGBTQIA+-identifying, immigrant, or otherwise underrepresented in US literary publishing, and offers fee waivers to writers for whom the entry fee would pose a significant barrier.

Manuscripts are judged anonymously; finalists are selected by the FC2 Editorial Board, with the winner chosen by a final judge. The winner receives $3,000 and publication by FC2, an imprint of the University of Alabama Press.

Submissions for the 2027 contest will be open 15 August 2026.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Ascent Novel Prize is an international competition for unagented writers who have not yet accepted a traditional publishing deal. Open to adult novelists writing in English — including young adult fiction — it welcomes writers of all backgrounds worldwide, with additional highly commended awards reserved for entrants from under-represented areas of the publishing industry.

Entrants submit the first 3,000 words of their novel along with a one-line pitch and a one-page synopsis. All entries are judged anonymously, and the top 100 entrants are guaranteed a personalised paragraph of feedback from the judging panel. Every entrant also receives free access to a membership area featuring videos and craft training.

The prize opens for entries on 1 June and closes on 1 November. The top 100 are announced in December, the longlist in January, the shortlist on 1 February, and the winner on 1 March. Sponsored entry places are available for writers for whom the cost is a barrier, courtesy of independent bookshop Messrs Fletcher and Frost. Multiple entries are permitted, each requiring a separate fee.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Galley Beggar Press Short Story Prize is an annual short story competition hosted by Galley Beggar Press, an independent publisher based in Norwich, UK. It is open to both published and unpublished writers from anywhere in the world, writing original fiction in English.

Entries must be no longer than 6,000 words and must not have been previously published, online or in print. Translated stories are accepted if clearly marked as such, provided both the original and the translation are unpublished. Entries are submitted online as a Word document or PDF.

The winner receives a cash prize of £3,000. Three shortlisted writers each receive £200, and their stories are printed in pocket-book format and distributed to UK libraries, charities, and literary organisations. Ten longlisted writers each receive £50 in book vouchers plus a four-book subscription to Galley Beggar Press.

Entry costs £11 per story, though a number of free entries are offered each year to low-earners on a first-come, first-served basis. The longlist is announced 22 February 2027, the shortlist 15 March 2027, and the winner 29 March 2027.

Is this competition legit?Unknown - Based on our research it is not clear if this event is legit and if it's hosted by a well established publisher. Please remember to do your own research and read the Terms & Conditions 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.

The SmokeLong Grand Micro Contest, known as The Mikey, is an annual competition hosted by SmokeLong Quarterly celebrating the best micro fiction and nonfiction online. The grand prize winner is automatically nominated for Best Small Fictions and any other prize the editors deem appropriate.

Entries are limited to 250 words or fewer per micro. Writers may submit up to 2 or up to 4 micros in a single document, depending on entry tier. Fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid narratives that lean poetic are all eligible, though work with line breaks is not considered. Both previously published and unpublished micros are accepted, and simultaneous submissions are allowed.

The grand prize winner receives $1000, with $500 for second place, $300 for third, and $150 for each finalist. All finalists and placers will be published in the December 2026 issue of SmokeLong.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest is run by Tadpole Press, founded and judged by Amber Byers, a children’s book author. The contest has no set theme or genre restriction. Entrants may submit fiction, nonfiction, poetry, memoir, or any combination, provided the piece is 100 words or fewer.

Submissions are judged on creativity, originality, and how the piece captures a new angle or delivers a twist, with a stated preference for stories that show growth rather than dwelling in suffering. Pieces should be nonviolent in nature. The contest is open to writers of all ages, genders, and nationalities. Previously published work is accepted.

The panel includes five judges beyond Amber Byers: Johanna Craven, Creative Director of Compassiviste Publishing; melody kamba, a speculative fiction and lyric essay writer; Zoë Whittall, a private writing tutor; and Mari Mendoza, a writer and creative writing coach.

The winner will receive $1,000 USD (1st place). Further placements 2nd–6th receive publishing, editing, manuscript assessment, or coaching packages from Tadpole Press or Compassiviste Publishing.7th–10th place each receive $50 USD.

Winners are announced at Tadpole Press’s “Celebration of Words” event. A needs-based scholarship is available for the entry fee up to one month before the deadline.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Cai Emmons Short Fiction Contest celebrates the legacy of Cai Emmons by recognizing and supporting diverse authors from Oregon and Washington, nurturing emerging writers, and promoting storytelling aligned with the themes in Cai’s work.

Submissions must reflect themes central to Cai Emmons’s work, including interconnectedness, grief and loss, family dynamics, environmental/climate concerns, magical realism, and women’s experiences and identities.

Submission Guidelines:

• Writers residing in Oregon and Washington.
• Original, unpublished short fiction.
• 1,000–3,000 words
• One submission per person.
• Simultaneous submissions to other contests are allowed, but you must notify us and immediately withdraw your work from the contest if it’s accepted elsewhere.

Award Categories and Prizes

• Grand Prize – Cai Emmons Short Fiction Contest Winner – $700
• Category Awards – To honor Cai’s commitment to diverse themes and genres, prizes of $200 ($100 for honorable mentions) will also be awarded to category winnerrs.
• Category award winners and honorable mentions receive a 1-year membership ($200 value). The Grand Prize Winner receives a 5-year membership ($1,000 value)

All finalists’ stories will be published by Wordcrafters Press in an anthology (in paperback and e-book), reflecting the contest’s themes and showcasing the best short fiction from the Pacific Northwest. The anthology will be published in April 2027, and all winners will receive a copy of the anthology.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Anthology Travel Writing Competition is run by Anthology, an Irish luxury lifestyle magazine, and is open to writers of any nationality worldwide. The competition invites original, non-fictional, previously unpublished travel articles written in English, seeking pieces that convey a strong sense of place and local culture with literary merit and originality.

Entrants must submit an article of no more than 1,000 words. Multiple entries are permitted, with each submission requiring a separate entry form and fee. There is no age limit, and AI-generated work is not eligible.

The winner receives €300 and has their article published in a future issue of Anthology magazine. Prize money is paid on publication of the winning piece. Copyright remains with the author, though Anthology reserves the right of first publication.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Bath Children’s Novel Award is an international prize for children’s fiction by emerging authors — defined as unagented writers who are unpublished, self-published, or independently published without an advance. The award covers a wide range of children’s writing, including YA novels, middle grade, early readers, chapter books, and picture book texts.

Entrants submit the opening of their manuscript (up to 5,000 words) along with a one-page synopsis, in English. Full manuscripts may be of any length. Submissions are judged blind, first by Junior Judges aged 7–17 who select a shortlist, then by a leading children’s literary agent who selects the winner. AI-generated or AI-edited work is not eligible.

The competition is open to writers of any age, nationality, or residency. Sponsored places are available for writers on a low income. The winner is announced in March 2027 and receives £5,000 and a Minerva Trophy. Longlisted writers receive written feedback on their initial submission, and one longlisted writer also wins a free place on an 18-week novel editing course from Cornerstones Literary Consultancy and the Professional Writing Academy, valued at £1,980.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Penelope Award is a category within The Homer Awards, a new English-language literary awards program based in Tolo, Greece. Unlike the program’s other categories, which are reader-nominated awards for already-published books, the Penelope Award is open to unpublished writers, offering a full publishing deal with Imagine Press for the best unpublished thriller manuscript. The award is judged solely by Jonas Saul, a published thriller author (60 novels) and founder of Imagine Press.

Entrants must submit a completed, never-commercially-published thriller manuscript in English with no current literary agent attached, along with a synopsis (max 500 words) and the first three chapters. Jonas Saul longlists 10 manuscripts from the synopses and opening chapters, then requests full manuscripts from the longlisted authors. Three finalists are shared with the “Thriller Book Retreat” reader community before Jonas makes the final decision. The winner is announced live at the Homer Awards gala in Tolo, Greece, on 22 October 2027.

The winning manuscript is published by Imagine Press, the publishing house founded by judge Jonas Saul. Authors retain all rights to their work. Imagine Press takes a royalty for a fixed term in exchange for publishing services, after which all rights revert to the author.

Is this competition legit?Unknown - Based on our research it is not clear if this event is legit and if it's hosted by a well established publisher. Please remember to do your own research and read the Terms & Conditions before submitting your work.

FAQ
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Got a horror short story? Killer Shorts wants to read it.

Killer Shorts is a premier launchpad dedicated to discovering, championing, and launching the next wave of voices in horror fiction. Founded in 2019, the competition connects emerging authors directly with the industry professionals who actively publish, manage, and option dark fiction for the screen.

To give submissions the highest level of validation, work is evaluated by an elite jury that includes legendary author and producer Tananarive Due (The Twilight Zone, Horror Noire), literary manager John Zaozirny (Bellevue Productions), and genre icon Barbara Crampton.

Winners receive official publication on the Killer Shorts website to guarantee industry eyes on their work, a professional Scrivener software license, and an exclusive one-on-one career consultation with author and screenwriter Chris Hicks, who successfully adapted his own short prose into a major Hollywood film package.

Authors can submit their killer short stories to Killer Shorts today to launch their literary careers.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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Every year, Reneé Bibby (an American flash / short story writer) runs a competition to see who can acquire the most literary rejections in a calendar year. Inspired by Kim Liao’s Lit Hub article “Why you Should Aim for 100 Rejections a Year” the competition reframes rejections as “wins”.

The competition is for literary magazine publication rejections of poetry, essays, creative non fiction, micro fiction, flash, and short stories. Currently this does not support rejections for novels, agent representation, residencies, or writing positions.

The event is open to writers of all levels, all genres, all ages, all over the world.

The competition runs January 1st–December 31st every year.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Lascaux Prize in Short Fiction is run by The Lascaux Review, an online literary journal. The contest welcomes short fiction in all genres and styles, and stories may be previously published or unpublished, with simultaneous submissions accepted.

Length should not exceed 10,000 words. All entries, win or not, are automatically considered for general publication in the journal. Judging is handled by the journal’s own editors, and writers retain full rights to their work at all times. Submissions are made online via Submittable; postal submissions are not accepted.

The winner receives $1,000 in prize money, a bronze medallion, and publication in The Lascaux Review.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Amazing Women’s Edition is a youth literacy contest run by the National Youth Foundation (NYF), a US-based nonprofit focused on diverse youth literacy. This year’s theme is “Local Heroines,” inviting student participants to write and illustrate an original book celebrating women who have made a positive impact in their communities.

Entrants must be students in grades K through 8 living in the United States, working either individually or in teams of up to 22 students. Each entry is a self-made illustrated book of 20–30 pages (excluding optional cover, dedication, and back pages), submitted by post on 8½”×11″ or 9″×12″ paper along with a signed entry form (requiring both student and parent/guardian signatures). Both text and artwork must be created solely by the students, and only one book entry is allowed per person.

The prize structure isn’t stated in cash terms; rather, based on past testimonials on the organiser’s page, winning students have their book published by the National Youth Foundation and featured in the NYF Library of past winners, with past student participants describing becoming “a published artist” as the reward.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Next Generation Indie Book Awards is currently accepting published books, unpublished manuscripts, galley copies, and advanced reader copies which have a copyright/release date of 2025, 2026, or 2027 from independent publishers and authors for the 2027 awards year.

The entry fee is $80 for the first category entered and $65 for every additional category entered for the same title. 80 categories across fiction and non-fiction are offered.

Winners in each of the 80 categories receive cash prizes, gold medals, possible representation by a leading literary agent, complimentary stickers, social media coverage and website exposure. Three Grand Prize Winners will be selected from all entries received and will be awarded cash prizes of $1,500, $750, and $500 based on their order of win. All Winners are invited to attend the Indie Book Awards gala reception.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Next Generation Short Story Awards is accepting unpublished short stories and poems of less than 5,000 words for the 2027 awards year. It is open to all authors worldwide, including first-time writers, who have an original, previously unpublished short story written in English.

The entry fee is $25 for the first category and $20 for every additional category entered for the same story. 30 categories across fiction, non-fiction and poetry are offered.

Winners in each of the 30 categories receive cash prizes, gold medals, story published in an Anthology of Winners along with a complimentary copy, digital promotional stickers, social media coverage, and website exposure. Three Grand Prize Winners will be selected from all entries received and will be awarded cash prizes of $500, $300, and $200 based on their order of win, exposure in a Press Release, and an invitation to attend the Next Generation Indie Book Awards gala reception.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Canterbury Tales Writing Competition 2026/7 is organised by the Chaucer Heritage Trust and is open to school-age students, including those in schools, colleges, home education, and youth community organisations. The annual competition is inspired by the works of Geoffrey Chaucer and invites young writers to create a poem or story that reflects the theme of “Transformations”.

Entrants can write about a transformation, change that leads to surprising consequences, or a character who transforms from good to evil or evil to good. Entries should capture the spirit of The Canterbury Tales, be written in English, and may use everyday language and colloquialisms where appropriate. The competition has three age categories: Junior (5–10), Intermediate (11–14), and Senior (15–18).

Choose ONE of the following:

• Write a poem or story about a transformation
• Write a poem or story about change that leads to surprising consequences
• Write a description of a character who transforms from evil to good or from good to evil

Top prize: £300 for the winning entrant in each age category, plus £1,000 for the winning entrant’s school library.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The Reader Views Literary Awards, founded in 2005, honour excellence in independent publishing. The programme is open to self-published authors and those published through small presses, hybrid publishers, or university presses worldwide, provided the submitted work is in English and carries a copyright date within the last five years. Books from major traditional publishing houses are not eligible.

The awards operate in two seasonal tracks: the Fiction Programme (open March–September 2026, winners announced late November 2026) and the Non-Fiction Programme (open September 2026–March 2027, winners announced late May 2027). Poetry and all children’s titles are evaluated within the Fiction track.

Every entry receives a full professional editorial review and a detailed 20-point evaluation, which authors may use for promotional purposes.

Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards are presented in each genre category, with additional Finalist designations based on scoring. Grand Prize cash awards, starting at $1,000 (Gold), $350 (Silver), and $150 (Bronze) are selected from category winners and may increase based on entry volume. A range of sponsored awards are also available, including prizes from Dabble, AutoCrit, and others, covering categories such as debut fiction, historical fiction, debut poetry, and children’s books.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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The To Hull And Back Humorous Short Story Competition is a biennial contest run by author Christopher Fielden, now in its 10th edition. It invites writers worldwide to submit an original humorous short story in English, with no restriction on genre or theme beyond containing some element of humour. Stories may have been previously published elsewhere.

Entrants may submit up to three stories each, though only one cash prize can be won per author. Stories are read and shortlisted, then scored independently by a panel of up to ten judges.

Alongside the £1,000 top prize, £200 goes to second place, £100 to third, £70 each to three highly commended entries, and £35 each to fourteen shortlisted entries, for a total prize pot of £2,000. All winning and shortlisted stories are published in the To Hull And Back Anthology (print and Kindle), with author profiles and, for the winner, a published interview. The anthology is expected 31 October 2027, with the “ride to Hull” video following in spring 2028.

Is this event legit?YES! - Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any opportunity, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work. Check the organizer's website and carefully read the terms and conditions!

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