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Fifty Writing Contests to Enter Right Now!
by Writing Workshops Staff
A year ago

Here is a list of 50 writing contests to enter right now! Get your Fall 2021 submissions read and out into the world:
University of Iowa Press
Two awards of publication by University of Iowa Press are given annually for first collections of short fiction. Submit a manuscript of at least 150 pages by September 30....
read moreUniversity of Arkansas Press
A prize of $5,000 and publication by University of Arkansas Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Patricia Smith will judge. Using only the online submission system...
read moreDzanc Books
A prize of $5,000 and publication by Dzanc Books is given annually for a novel. Nina Shope, David Tromblay, and Anne Valente will judge. Using only the online submission system...
read moreGhost Story
A prize of $1,500, publication on the Ghost Story website and in the Ghost Story print anthology, 21st Century Ghost Stories, is given twice yearly for a short...
read moreDzanc Books
A prize of $2,500 and publication by Dzanc Books is given annually for a story collection. The editors will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a manuscript...
read moreWinning Writers
Two prizes of $3,000 each and publication on the Winning Writers website are given annually for a poem in any style and a poem that either rhymes or is written in a traditional...
read moreDzanc Books
A prize of $1,500 and publication by Dzanc Books is given for a nonfiction book. Using only the online submission system, submit a memoir, essay collection, biography, history...
read moreBoulevard
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Boulevard is given annually for an essay by a writer who has not published a full-length book in any genre with a nationally...
read moreRed Hen Press
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Red Hen Press is given biennially for a short story collection or a novel. Aimee Liu will judge. Using only the online submission system,...
read moreUniversity of Massachusetts Press
Five prizes of $1,000 each and publication by University of Massachusetts Press are given annually for a first poetry collection, a poetry collection by an author who has...
read moreCalifornia State University in Fresno
A prize of $2,000 and publication by Anhinga Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Carmen Giménez Smith will judge. Submit a manuscript of 48 to 80 pages with a $22...
read moreCarlow University
A prize valued at $2,000 is given annually to a woman poet over 40 who has not published a book in any genre. The winner receives $1,000, publication in Voices From the...
read moreZoetrope: All-Story
A prize of $1,000 and publication on the Zoetrope: All-Story website is given annually for a short story. The winner and finalists are considered for representation by...
read moreMissouri Review
Three prizes of $5,000 each and publication in Missouri Review are given annually for a group of poems, a short story, and an essay. Submit up to 10 pages of poetry or...
read moreAfrican Poetry Book Fund
A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a book of poetry by an African poet published in the previous year. Writers who were born in Africa, who are a national or a resident of...
read moreAmy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholarship
An award of approximately $62,500 is given annually to a U.S. poet for a year of travel and study outside of North America. Submit two copies of up to 40 pages of poetry or a...
read moreCopper Nickel
A prize of $2,000 and publication by Milkweed Editions is given annually for a first or second poetry collection. Dana Levin will judge. Using only the online submission system...
read moreLorian Hemingway Short Story Competition
A prize of $1,500 and publication on the competition website is given annually for a short story by a writer whose fiction has not appeared in a nationally distributed...
read moreSilverfish Review Press
A prize of $1,000, publication by Silverfish Review Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a first poetry collection. Submit a manuscript of at least 48 pages with a...
read moreSan Diego Poetry Annual
A prize of $1,000 and publication in San Diego Poetry Annual is given annually for a single poem. The winner will also receive an invitation to read at an award ceremony...
read moreUniversity of Louisville
A prize of $2,000 and publication in Miracle Monocle is given annually for a work of fiction written in the fabulist experimental style of Italo Calvino. The winner will...
read morePulitzer Prizes
Five prizes of $15,000 each are given annually to U.S. writers to honor books of poetry, fiction, general nonfiction, U. S. history, and biography or autobiography (including...
read moreAlice James Books
A prize of $2,000 and publication by Alice James Books is given annually for a poetry collection by a poet residing in the United States. Submit a manuscript of 45 to 100 pages...
read moreTulipTree Publishing
A prize of $1,000 and publication in TulipTree Review is given annually for a poem, story, or essay. The theme for this fall’s contest is “disruption.” Submit a poem of...
read moreOmnidawn Publishing
A prize of $1,000, publication by Omnidawn Publishing, and 100 author copies is given annually for a work of fabulist fiction. Theodora Ziolkowski will judge. Submit a...
read moreSixfold
Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Sixfold are given quarterly for a group of poems and a short story. Using only the online submission system, submit up to...
read moreF(r)iction
A prize of $1,000 is given twice a year for a short story. Using only the online submission system, submit a story of 1,001 to 7,500 words with a $15 entry fee by October 29....
read moreRed Hen Press
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Red Hen Press is given annually for a short story collection or a novel by a queer writer. Kazim Ali will judge. Using only the online...
read moreHidden River Arts
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Hidden River Press is given annually for an essay collection. Using only the online submission system, submit a manuscript of any length, a...
read moreCloudbank Books
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Cloudbank Books is given annually for a collection of poetry, flash fiction, or a combination of the two. Submit a manuscript of 60 to 90...
read moreFinishing Line Press
A prize of $1,500 and publication by Finishing Line Press is given annually for a poetry chapbook. Submit a manuscript of 16 to 36 pages with a $15 entry fee by October 31. All...
read moreTupelo Press
A prize of $1,000, publication by Tupelo Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry chapbook. Submit a manuscript of 20 to 36 pages with a $25 entry fee by...
read moreAmerican Poetry Review
A prize of $3,000 and publication by American Poetry Review is given annually for a first poetry collection. The winning book will be distributed by Copper Canyon Press...
read moreRiver Teeth
A prize of $1,000 and publication by University of New Mexico Press is given annually for a book of creative nonfiction. Rigoberto González will judge. Using only the online...
read moreTucson Festival of Books
Three prizes of $1,000 each are given annually for works of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The winners will also receive scholarships to attend a workshop on the...
read moreRed Hen Press
A prize of $3,000 and publication by Red Hen Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Major Jackson will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a...
read morePEN/Faulkner Foundation
A prize of $15,000 is given annually for a book of fiction published during the current year. Four finalists will each receive $5,000. The winner and finalists will also be...
read moreRotary Club of Stratford
A prize of $500 will be given annually for a short story. Using only the online submission system, submit a story of up to 2,500 words by October 31. There is no entry fee....
read moreUniversity of North Texas Press
A prize of $1,000 and publication by University of North Texas Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Using only the online submission system, submit a manuscript of...
read morePoetry Society of the United Kingdom
A prize of £5,000 (approximately $7,075) and publication on the Poetry Society of the United Kingdom website is given annually for a single poem. A second-place prize of £2,000...
read moreConduit Books & Ephemera
A prize of $1,500, publication by Conduit Books & Ephemera, and 30 author copies is given annually for a book of poetry. The editors will judge. Submit a manuscript of 48...
read moreSaturnalia Books
A prize of $2,000 and publication by Saturnalia Books will be given annually for a translation of a poetry collection. Translators who identify as female (including those who...
read moreElixir Press
A prize of $2,000 and publication by Elixir Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Esther Lee will judge. Submit a manuscript of at least 48 pages with a $30 entry...
read morePersea Books
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Persea Books is given annually for a first poetry collection by a writer who identifies as a woman and who is currently living in the...
read moreFiction Collective Two
A prize of $1,500 and publication by Fiction Collective Two is given annually for a novel, short story collection, novella, or novella collection. U.S. writers who have not...
read moreBrick Road Poetry Press
A prize of $1,000, publication by Brick Road Poetry Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Keith Badowski and Olivia Ivings will judge. Using...
read moreFiction Collective Two
A prize of $15,000 and publication by Fiction Collective Two, an imprint of University of Alabama Press, is given annually for a novel, short story collection, novella, or...
read moreBriar Cliff Review
Three prizes of $1,000 ach and publication in Briar Cliff Review are given annually for a poem, a short story, and an essay. The editors will judge. Submit three poems...
read moreMalahat Review
Three prizes of CAD $2,000 (approximately $1,650) each and publication in Malahat Review are given annually for a poem, a short story, and an essay. Using only the...
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