Jump to navigation Skip to content

Search form

Find details about every creative writing competition—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and more—that we’ve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

Find a home for your poems, stories, essays, and reviews by researching the publications vetted by our editorial staff. In the Literary Magazines database you’ll find editorial policies, submission guidelines, contact information—everything you need to know before submitting your work to the publications that share your vision for your work.

Whether you’re pursuing the publication of your first book or your fifth, use the Small Presses database to research potential publishers, including submission guidelines, tips from the editors, contact information, and more.

Research more than one hundred agents who represent poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers, plus details about the kinds of books they’re interested in representing, their clients, and the best way to contact them.

Trying to get your work published can feel like wandering in a maze. If you are running into one dead end after another, not sure which way to turn, Poets & Writers can demystify the process and help you reach your destination—publication.

Every week a new publishing professional shares advice, anecdotes, insights, and new ways of thinking about writing and the business of books.

Stay informed with reports from the world of writing contests, including news of extended deadlines, recent winners of notable awards, new contest announcements, interviews with winners, and more.

Since our founding in 1970, Poets & Writers has served as an information clearinghouse of all matters related to writing. While the range of inquiries has been broad, common themes have emerged over time. Our Top Topics for Writers addresses the most popular and pressing issues, including literary agents, copyright, MFA programs, and self-publishing.

Our series of subject-based handbooks (PDF format; $4.99 each) provide information and advice from authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers. Now available: The Poets & Writers Guide to Publicity and Promotion, The Poets & Writers Guide to the Book Deal, The Poets & Writers Guide to Literary Agents, The Poets & Writers Guide to MFA Programs, and The Poets & Writers Guide to Writing Contests.

Find a home for your work by consulting our searchable databases of writing contests, literary magazines, small presses, literary agents, and more.

Subscribe to Poets & Writers Magazine for as little as $1.67 per issue

Poets & Writers lists readings, workshops, and other literary events held in cities across the country. Whether you are an author on book tour or the curator of a reading series, the Literary Events Calendar can help you find your audience.

Get the Word Out is a new publicity incubator for debut fiction writers and poets.

Research newspapers, magazines, websites, and other publications that consistently publish book reviews using the Review Outlets database, which includes information about publishing schedules, submission guidelines, fees, and more.

Well over ten thousand poets and writers maintain listings in this essential resource for writers interested in connecting with their peers, as well as editors, agents, and reading series coordinators looking for authors. Apply today to join the growing community of writers who stay in touch and informed using the Poets & Writers Directory.

Download our free app to find readings and author events near you; explore indie bookstores, libraries, and other places of interest to writers; and connect with the literary community in your city or town.

Let the world know about your work by posting your events on our literary events calendar, apply to be included in our directory of writers, and more.

Find a writers group to join or create your own with Poets & Writers Groups. Everything you need to connect, communicate, and collaborate with other poets and writers—all in one place.

Find information about more than two hundred full- and low-residency programs in creative writing in our MFA Programs database, which includes details about deadlines, funding, class size, core faculty, and more. Also included is information about more than fifty MA and PhD programs.

Whether you are looking to meet up with fellow writers, agents, and editors, or trying to find the perfect environment to fuel your writing practice, the Conferences & Residencies is the essential resource for information about well over three hundred writing conferences, writers residencies, and literary festivals around the world.

Find information about venues that host readings and author events, including bookstores, bars, cafes, libraries, literary arts centers, and more. The Reading Venues database includes details about how to schedule your own reading, admission fees, audience size, parking and transit information, and more.

Discover historical sites, independent bookstores, literary archives, writing centers, and writers spaces in cities across the country using the Literary Places database—the best starting point for any literary journey, whether it’s for research or inspiration.

Search for jobs in education, publishing, the arts, and more within our free, frequently updated job listings for writers and poets.

Poets & Writers Live is an initiative developed in response to interviews and discussions with writers from all over the country. When we asked what Poets & Writers could do to support their writing practice, time and again writers expressed a desire for a more tangible connection to other writers. So, we came up with a living, breathing version of what Poets & Writers already offers: Poets & Writers Live.

Establish new connections and enjoy the company of your peers using our searchable databases of MFA programs and writers retreats, apply to be included in our directory of writers, and more.

Bring the literary world to your door—at half the newsstand price. Available in print and digital editions, Poets & Writers Magazine is a must-have for writers who are serious about their craft.

View the contents and read select essays, articles, interviews, and profiles from the current issue of the award-winning Poets & Writers Magazine .

Read three decades of essays, articles, interviews, profiles, and other select content from Poets & Writers Magazine .

View the covers and contents of every issue of Poets & Writers Magazine , from the current edition all the way back to the first black-and-white issue in 1987.

In our weekly series of craft essays, some of the best and brightest minds in contemporary literature explore their craft in compact form, articulating their thoughts about creative obsessions and curiosities in a working notebook of lessons about the art of writing.

The Time Is Now offers weekly writing prompts in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction to help you stay committed to your writing practice throughout the year. Sign up to get The Time Is Now, as well as a weekly book recommendation for guidance and inspiration, delivered to your inbox.

Every week a new author shares books, art, music, writing prompts, films—anything and everything—that has inspired and shaped the creative process.

Watch videos, listen to audio clips, and view slideshows related to articles and features published in Poets & Writers Magazine .

Ads in Poets & Writers Magazine and on pw.org are the best ways to reach a readership of serious poets and literary prose writers. Our audience trusts our editorial content and looks to it, and to relevant advertising, for information and guidance.

Start, renew, or give a subscription to Poets & Writers Magazine ; change your address; check your account; pay your bill; report a missed issue; contact us.

Peruse paid listings of writing contests, conferences, workshops, editing services, calls for submissions, and more.

Read select articles from the award-winning magazine and consult the most comprehensive listing of literary grants and awards, deadlines, and prizewinners available in print.

Each year the Readings & Workshops program provides support to hundreds of writers participating in literary readings and conducting writing workshops. Learn more about this program, our special events, projects, and supporters, and how to contact us.

Find information about how Poets & Writers provides support to hundreds of writers participating in literary readings and conducting writing workshops.

Writing Contests, Grants & Awards

The Writing Contests, Grants & Awards database includes details about the creative writing contests—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, and more—that we’ve published in Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it. Ours is the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

Fourth Genre

Steinberg memorial essay prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Fourth Genre is given annually for an essay. Debra Gwartney will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit an essay of...

The Center for Fiction

First novel prize.

A prize of $15,000 is given annually for a debut novel published in the United States by an American citizen during the current year. Six finalists will receive $1,000 each....

Winter Story Contest

A prize of $2,500 and publication in Narrative is given annually for a short story, a short short story, an essay, or an excerpt from a longer work of fiction or...

Banipal Trust for Arab Literature

Saif ghobash banipal prize for arabic literary translation.

A prize of £3,000 (approximately $3,665) is given annually for a book of poetry or fiction translated from Arabic into English and published for the first time in English...

Restless Books

Prize for new immigrant writing.

A prize of $10,000 and publication by Restless Books is given in alternating years for a debut book of fiction or nonfiction by a first-generation immigrant. The 2023 prize...

Elixir Press

Antivenom poetry award.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Elixir Press is given annually for a first or second poetry collection. John Estes will judge. Submit a manuscript of at least 48 pages...

A Public Space

Writing fellowships.

Three six-month fellowships of $1,000 each are given annually to emerging poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers who “embrace risk in their work” and have not published...

Black Lawrence Press

Hudson prize.

A prize of $1,000, publication by Black Lawrence Press, and 10 author copies is given annually for a collection of poems, short stories, essays, or hybrid work. Collections...

Four Way Books

Levis prize in poetry.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Four Way Books is given annually for a poetry collection. The winner will also be invited to participate in readings either virtually or in...

Fish Publishing

Poetry prize.

A prize of €1,000 (approximately $1,055) and publication in the Fish Publishing anthology is given annually for a single poem. The winner is also invited to read at the...

Arts & Letters

Arts & letters prizes.

Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Arts & Letters are given annually for a group of poems, a short story, and an essay. Rodney Jones will judge in poetry...

Lascaux Review

Lascaux prize in poetry.

A prize of $1,000 and publication both online and in the print edition of Lascaux Review is given annually for a single poem. Previously published and unpublished...

Indiana Review

Poetry and creative nonfiction prizes.

Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Indiana Review are given annually for a single poem and an essay. Submit up to three poems of any length or a work of prose...

Gemini Magazine

Short story contest.

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Gemini Magazine is given annually for a short story. The editors will judge. Submit a story of any length with an $8 entry fee by...

Prime Number Magazine Awards

Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Prime Number Magazine are given annually for a poem and a short story. Felicia Mitchell will judge in poetry and Dennis...

Laura Boss Poetry Foundation

Laura boss narrative poetry award.

A prize of $5,000, publication by New York Quarterly Books, and 25 author copies will be given annually for a manuscript of narrative poetry. The winner and finalists are...

Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature

Paul engle prize.

A prize of $20,000 is given annually to a writer “who, like Paul Engle, represents a pioneering spirit in the world of literature through writing, editing, publishing, or...

Trustees of the Robert Frost Farm

Frost farm prize for metrical poetry.

A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a poem written in metrical verse. The winner also receives a scholarship to attend and give a reading at the Frost Farm Poetry...

Nimrod International Journal

Nimrod literary awards.

Two prizes of $2,000 each and publication in Nimrod International Journal are given annually for a poem or a group of poems and a work of fiction. A runner-up in...

North American Review

Terry tempest williams creative nonfiction prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication in North American Review is given annually for a work of creative nonfiction. Lyric essays, memoir, personal essays, and literary...

Winning Writers

Wergle flomp humor poetry contest.

A prize of $2,000, a gift certificate for two-year membership to the literary database Duotrope, and publication on the Winning Writers website is given annually for a humorous...

Saturnalia Books

A prize of $1,500, publication by Saturnalia Books, and 20 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Hoa Nguyen will judge. All entries will also be considered...

Orison Books

Prizes in poetry and fiction.

Two prizes of $1,500 each and publication by Orison Books are given annually for a poetry collection and a book of fiction. Pádraig Ó Tuama will judge in poetry and David Heska...

Just Buffalo Literary Center

Poetry fellowship.

A fellowship, which includes a stipend of $1,500 and a monthlong residency in Buffalo is given annually to a poet. The fellowship includes lodging at a private apartment for...

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Oberon is given annually for a single poem. Submit up to three poems of no more than two pages each with an $18 entry fee, which...

The Best Poetry Writing Contests of 2023

Writing competitions curated by Reedsy

Manage a competition? Submit it here

writing poetry competitions

Join our short story competition

Submit a short story based on 1 of 5 weekly prompts. Winners get $250.

Showing 195 contests

The letter review prize for poetry.

Letter Review

The Letter Review Prize for Poetry (up to 70 lines) is open to writers from anywhere in the world and has no style or subject restrictions. Winners are published and every entry is considered for publication. 20 entries are Longlisted.

Additional prizes

2nd $250 | 3rd: $150

Entry requirements

Deadline: April 30, 2023

The UNO Writing Center's Writing Contest

The University of Nebraska, Omaha: Writing Center

The University of Nebraska, Omaha's Writing Center is hosting their 1st annual writing contest, open to Nebraska state residents (or remotely enrolled Nebraska university students.) It has three categories available in flash fiction, flash creative non-fiction, and poetry (up to 750 words.) The theme for the contest is: What it means to be a Maverick, and whatever your creative interpretation of that may be.

Certificate | UNO Writing Center merch

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: April 10, 2023

Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry

3nd Annual WCWF Writing Contest

Wine Country Writers' Festival

Fire up those pens and get those unpublished stories and poems submitted to WCWF 3nd Annual Writing Contest. Three winners in each category (fiction/nonfiction/poetry), publication in Anthology, and your own copy. Entries: $15 or two for $25.

2nd Place: $75 | 3rd Place: $50

Deadline: June 30, 2023

Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Non-fiction, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult

Evening Standard Stories Competition

Evening Standard

We’re searching for fresh new voices who can take the idea of ‘belonging’ in a surprising direction, or tackle it in a way that stops us in our tracks. This competition is not limited to a ‘short story’. Submissions can be a piece of spoken word or performance, perhaps it’s a monologue, a script or a self-contained episode of a narrative podcast. Entries can be submitted as written, audio, or film.

Mentorship with top industry contacts

Publication in Evening Standard media

Deadline: April 12, 2023

Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Script Writing, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult

Bacopa Literary Review

Bacopa Literary Review is an annual international print journal published by the Writers Alliance of Gainesville. Our Bacopa Literary Review Editors’ blog shows the quality of writing we seek by highlighting work we respect from previous Bacopa issues as well as other sources.

£200 in 6 categories

$100 Honorable mention in 6 categories

Deadline: April 16, 2023

Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story, Essay, Flash Fiction, Humor

Geminga: $250 for Tiny Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, or Art

Sunspot Lit

Geminga is a neutron star so small it was difficult to detect. It was named, in part, for a transcription of gh’è minga, meaning “it’s not there.” With Geminga: $500 for Tiny Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, or Art, Sunspot Lit honors the power of the small. No restrictions on theme or category. Word limit is 100 for fiction and nonfiction. Micropoetry is limited to 140 characters. Graphic novelsshould be 4 pages or less.

Publication in digital and print

Deadline: March 31, 2023

Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Script Writing, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult

New Writers Poetry Competition 2023

New Writers

The New Writers Poetry Competition 2023 is open to published and unpublished poets from around the world. There is no specific theme but poems should be no longer than 40 lines. NewWriters.org.uk will donate £1.00 from each entry to First Story (a creative writing charity in the UK).

2nd: £300 | 3rd: £200

Deadline: July 12, 2023

Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize

Exceptionally international in scope, the prize supports writers who have not yet published a book-length work, with no limits on age, gender, nationality, or background. The winners of each category (fiction, poetry and life writing) will receive a £1,000 cash prize and publication, and will be published in Wasafiri’s print magazine. Shortlisted writers will have their work published on Wasafiri’s website.

Mentoring & Publication

Fiction, Poetry, Memoir, Non-fiction

Nature and Place Poetry Competition

The Rialto working in association with the RSPB, BirdLife International, Cambridge Conservation Initiative and The University of Leeds Poetry Centre. Poems are invited that deal with any aspect of nature and place – these terms will be given a wide interpretation by the judge Ian McMillan.

2nd: £500 | 3rd: £250

Deadline: March 01, 2023 (Expired)

The Pinch Literary Awards & Page Prize

The Pinch Literary Journal

The 2023 Pinch Literary Awards accepts poetry and fiction. The 2023 Page Prize accepts non-fiction.

$2000 for poetry & fiction winners

$1000 for Page Prize winner

Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, Non-fiction

Adrienne Rich Award for Poetry

Beloit Poetry Journal

Submit 1-3 unpublished poems on any subject in any style up to a maximum of 10 pages per entry. (We enjoy long poems!)

North Street Book Prize

Winning Writers

Submit a self-published or hybrid-published book, up to 200,000 words in length. One grand prize winner will receive $10,000, a marketing analysis and one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a $300 credit at BookBaby, three months of Plus service (a $207 value) and a $500 account credit from Book Award Pro, and 3 free ads in the Winning Writers newsletter (a $525 value)

$1,000 for top winner in each category | $300 for honorable mentions

Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Children's, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult

Write By The Sea Writing Competition

Write By The Sea

Flash Fiction (700 words), Short Story (2,500 words), Poetry (40 lines) Memoir/Personal Essay (1,000 words). The winner of each category will receive a cash prize of €500, a beautiful hand-crafted WBTS 2023 Writing Competition trophy and a free weekend pass to Write By The Sea festival 2023. All four winning pieces will be published on the Write By The Sea website.

2nd: €200 | 3rd: €300

Deadline: June 04, 2023

Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Poetry, Short Story

International Welsh Poetry Competition 2023

International Welsh Poetry Competition

The first Welsh Poetry Competition was set up by poet & writer Dave Lewis in 2007. The aim is to inspire people to capture life in the present day and to give a voice to a new generation of poets and writers. We are not interested in purely academic types of literature but would much rather see pure raw passion burst onto the creative writing scene in Wales.

2nd: £250 | 3rd: £125

International Poetry Book Awards 2023

Poetry Book Awards

The Poetry Book Awards is an annual, international book award given to the best poetry books produced by indie writers, self published authors or books published by small, truly independent presses. We are proud to be a Welsh based international awards programme, open to all indie authors and self published poets globally.

2nd: £200 | 3rd: £100 | Publication

Deadline: July 31, 2023

Booksie 2023 Poetry Contest

Booksie is looking to crown its 2018 Poet Laureate. The poetry can be of any type, length, or content, but it must be your own. The poetry can be serious or whimsical, fact or fiction, but it should strike a chord that makes us sit up and take notice. We're looking for poems that say something and make a reader sit up and think. You may submit as many entries as you like.

$150 to two runners-up

Deadline: June 15, 2023

The TRP Southern Breakthrough Series

Texas Review Press

The TRP Southern Poetry Breakthrough Series highlights a first full-length collection by emerging authors from each state in the southern U.S. This year's state is South Carolina. Open to any poet born in South Carolina, currently residing in South Carolina, or who has lived in South Carolina for five consecutive years at any point, who has not yet published a full-length collection of poetry. The author may have published chapbooks or books in other genres. Submissions accepted through Submittable only.

Publication

Deadline: February 28, 2023 (Expired)

The One Page Poetry Contest

One Page Poetry

One Page Poetry is dedicated to the art of expressing a poetic theme on a single page, whether your poem is four lines or forty, whether yours is a love poem, inspirational poem, philosophical poem, or just one that is fun or whimsical. We welcome any and all poetic forms, as long as they fit on a single page.

2nd: $1000 | 3rd: $500

Deadline: September 30, 2023

Autumn House Poetry Contest

Autumn House Press

For the 2023 contest, the Autumn House staff as well as select outsider readers serve as the preliminary readers, and the final judge is Toi Derricotte. The winner receives publication of a full-length manuscript and $2,500.

Book publication | $1,000 honorarium | $1,500 travel/publicity grant

The Iowa Review Awards

The Iowa Review

Each January since 2003, The Iowa Review has invited submissions to The Iowa Review Awards, a writing contest in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Winners receive $1,500; first runners-up receive $750. Winners and runners-up are published in each December issue.

Deadline: January 31, 2023 (Expired)

Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story

The Donald Hall Prize for Poetry

Association of Writers & Writing Programs

AWP sponsors the Award Series, an annual competition for the publication of excellent new book-length works. The competition is open to all authors writing in English regardless of nationality or residence, and is available to published and unpublished authors alike.

Publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press

Deadline: March 03, 2023 (Expired)

Tor House Prize for Poetry

Robinson Jeffers Tor House Foundation

The annual Tor House Prize for Poetry is a living memorial to American poet Robinson Jeffers. The contest is open to well-crafted poetry in all styles, ranging from experimental work to traditional forms, including short narrative poems. Poems should be no longer than 3 pages.

$200 for honorable mention

Deadline: March 15, 2023 (Expired)

The National Poetry Series

The National Poetry Series seeks book-length manuscripts of poetry written by American residents or American citizens living abroad.

Publication of full-length manuscript

The Plough Prize

The Plough Arts Centre

The Plough Poetry Prize is an international open competition for a poem up to 40 lines on any subject.

The Hudson Prize

Black Lawrence Press

Each year Black Lawrence Press will award The Hudson Prize for an unpublished collection of poems or short stories. The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers. The winner of this contest will receive book publication, a $1,000 cash award, and ten copies of the book. Prizes awarded on publication.

Book publication

Poetry, Short Story

The Caterpillar Prize

Caterpillar Magazine

The Caterpillar Poetry Prize is an annual prize for an unpublished poem written by an adult for children aged 7–11. This year’s judge is none other than Michael Morpurgo!

€1000 + 1 week at Circle of Misse in France

2nd: €500 | 3rd: €250

Nimrod Literary Awards

Nimrold International Journal of Prose and Poetry

All finalists in fiction and poetry will be published and paid at our standard publication rate. Semi-finalists in poetry will also be published and paid at our standard publication rate.

$2000 + Publication

2nd: $1000 + Publication

Deadline: April 01, 2023

Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, Novel

Fiction Factory Poetry Competition

Fiction Factory

This is a UK based competition but we welcome international entries. Poems should be 40 lines maximum. Entry Fee: $5 US ($12 for 3 poems) Top prize: 5 shortlisted poets will receive a supportive critique on their poems. One winner from that shortlist will receive a £100 ($125 US) cash prize, as well as feedback on 5 poems they have written, plus an hour-long mentorship Zoom call with the judge to talk about their poetry.

Feedback on poems and a Zoom mentorship call

Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize

Academy of American Poets

Established in 1975, this $25,000 award recognizes the most outstanding book of poetry published in the United States in the previous calendar year. The prize includes distribution of the winning book to hundreds of Academy of American Poets members.

Publication and distribution of book

Deadline: May 15, 2023

James Laughlin Award

Offered since 1954, the James Laughlin Award is given to recognize and support a second book of poetry forthcoming in the next calendar year. Along with $5,000, the winner receives an all-expenses-paid weeklong residency in Miami Beach, Florida, and distribution of the winning book to approximately one thousand Academy of American Poets members. Submissions are accepted January 1 through May 15 each year.

Distribution of book to Academy of American Poets members

The Lascaux Prize in Poetry

The Lascaux Review

Poems may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. Winner receives $1,000, a bronze medallion, and publication online in The Lascaux Review. The winner and all finalists will be published in the annual print journal.

The 2023 Bloom Writing Contest

The European Society of Literature

The 2023 Bloom Writing Contest is a writing competition that seeks to find hidden talent in the literary scene. The contest will place heavy emphasis on works of deep meaning, aesthetic beauty and literary quality—just as Harold Bloom did. The 2023 Bloom Writing Contest accepts submissions of all types, whether it be an essay, a poem, a short story.

Deadline: May 01, 2023

Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Poetry

2023 Poetry Chapbook Contest

The Heartland Review Press

Submit no more than 30 pages of your best poetry work. Any theme or style. THRP is not concerned with the poet who has the most publications; rather, we wish to award the best writing that contributes the most to the craft of poetry.

Poems for the Solstice Contest

Farmer-ish Journal

To celebrate Winter Solstice in 2023, Farmer-ish journal is excited to announce a special poetry contest with a cash prize and publication for the top 50 poems. We are accepting contest submissions for a poetry collection focusing on poems for the Winter Solstice. We are looking for poems about farming, nature, environmentalism, cozy, rest, light, tradition, and more.

Askew's Word on the Lake Writing Contest

Shuswap Association of Writers

Whether you’re an established or emerging writer, the Askew’s Word on the Lake Writing Contest has a place for you! Part of the Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival in Salmon Arm, BC, Canada, the contest is open to submissions in short fiction (up to 1,500 words), nonfiction (up to 1,500 words), and poetry (up to three one-page poems).

Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry

Find the perfect editor for your next book

Over 1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy, come meet them.

1 million authors trust the editors on Reedsy, come meet them.

Writing Prompts #3

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy, come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

Become a Writer Today

20 Poetry Contests to Enter in 2023

Can you make a living as a poet? You can get a good start to your poetry career with a little bit of luck and great poetry contests. 

Many organizations across the globe reward cash prizes, publication rights, and more to poets who wow their judges. If you are looking to get your poetry published, these are some of the top poetry contests to pursue.

Before learning about the different competitions, why not first familiarize yourself with the different types of poems ?

1. New American Press Poetry Prize

2. hippocrates prize for poetry and medicine, 3. derek walcott prize for poetry, 4. ballard spahr prize for poetry, 5. autumn house poetry contest, 6. poetry society of virginia student contests, 7. colorado prize for poetry, 8. eugene paul nassar poetry prize, 9. sustainable arts foundation writing awards, 10. maureen egen writers exchange award, 11. andres montoya poetry prize, 12. chapbook contest, 13. haiku society of america annual poetry contest, 14. the pushcart prize, 15. poetic justice institute prizes, 16. airlie prize, 17. national poetry series open competition, 18. wisconsin institute for creative writing fellowships, 19. association of writers & writing programs award series, 20. omnidawn publishing first/second poetry book contest, faqs about poetry contests.

Top poetry contests to enter

New American Press  hosts a poetry contest in the spring each year. This contest has a prize of $1,500 for the winning poetry collection. Submissions must be at least 48 pages, so this is an option for serious poets who have several poems under their belt.

The winning poet will get the $1,500 cash prize and have their book published by New American Press. In addition, the poet receives 25 author copies to give out as gifts or promotions.

The Hippocrates Prize awards £1,000 each year to one poem in the spring. The award also includes publication in the organization’s anthology and a video recording of the poem on the website. Any submissions must be a poem for a medical theme or audience and written by a medical professional.

The entry fee for this poetry contest is $10. Poems are up to 50 lines.

Top Poetry Contests To Enter

This unique poetry contest awards $1,000 to an English poetry collection with the twist that the writer cannot be a United States citizen. In addition, the award winner receives an initiation to read at the Boston Playwright’s Theater. To apply, poets must submit a full-length poetry collection, entry form, and $20 entry fee on the Arrowsmith Press website .

This particular poetry competition has a high-value prize of $10,000.  Milkweed Editions  awards the prize to one poet who lives in North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, or Iowa.

The poet must have a manuscript of at least 48 pages to submit. This competition has no entry fee.

Autumn House Press hosts a poetry contest in the first half of the year. A full-length poetry collection manuscript could earn the winner $2,500 in this competition. While the competition has just one winner, all finalists get considered for publication, so writers can enter and potentially get their work published even if they don’t win.

The fee for this competition is $30, and the publisher recommends not using any illustrations. In addition, all poems must start on a new page and be new poetry that isn’t published elsewhere.

The  Poetry Society of Virginia  hosts a poetry contest for young poets still in school. Students can submit a single poem that is free of identifying information, and they stand against other similar-aged poets for judging.

For this competition, poems must be 35 lines or fewer. There are first place, second place, and third place prizes for all grade levels. Winning poems may also end up in publication.

The  Colorado Prize for Poetry  competition is another one that awards a cash prize for a poetry book. The prize winner receives $2,500 and publication through the Center for Literary Publishing.

For this contest, submit a manuscript between 48 and 100 pages in length. The collection must be unpublished, including self-publishing, but individual poems may have been in print in other works.

The  Eugene Paul Nassar Poetry Prize  is a writing competition from Utica College. It has a $2,000 cash prize, and the first prize contest winner gets to read and teach a class at the college.

Submission guidelines for this competition include a completed entry form, a CV of the author’s accomplishments, and two copies of the complete poetry book. All works must be a minimum of 48 pages long. This competition has no entry fee.

The  Sustainable Arts Foundation  awards up to 20 $5,000 cash prizes to poets and other writers. The author must have at least one child living at home to qualify. For poetry submissions, writers can submit up to 10 poems or between 10 and 15 pages of prose. The contest has a $20 entry fee.

Poets & Writers hosts the Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award , which has two $500 cash prizes for one poet and one fiction writer from a chosen state, which in 2022 is Nebraska. The winning writer will also have a month-long residency at the Jentel Artist Residency Program to meet other writers, editors, agents, and publishers.

This contest requires poets to submit 7 to 10 pages of poetry. It has no entry fee.

Hosted through the University of Notre Dame, the  Andrews Montoya Poetry Prize  award $1,000 to a debut poetry collection. The poet must be Latinx and live in the United States. This full-length book contest requires a manuscript of 48 to 100 pages, and it does not have an entry fee.

Chapbook Contest

The Diode Editions Chapbook Contest  takes submissions from English-writing poets. They do allow translations and collaborations for this contest. The winning chapbook receives $750 and publication from the organization. The reading fee for this contest is $18. The manuscript must be 25 to 46 pages in length.

Consider entering the  Haiku Society of America’s Annual Poetry Contest if you enjoy writing haikus.  This contest accepts haibun, a mixture of haiku with prose. The prize for this competition is $200 and publication in Frogpond .

Submissions for this contest should have a word count of no more than 1,000 words. The contest has no entry fee.

This poetry contest is unique because it is not just a poetry contest. Instead, the  Pushcart Prize  takes nominations for poetry, short stories, essays, memoirs, and stand-alone novel exerts that were published elsewhere within a particular calendar year. Accepted works become part of the Pushcart Prize annual literary magazine.

The Pushcart Prize does not take submissions. Instead, it allows magazine and small book press editors to submit up to six nominations a year for potential works to include.

Fordham University at Lincoln Center in New York hosts the Poetic Justice Institute Prizes poetry contest. This contest awards a poetry collection and has a $1,000 cash prize. In addition, the winning poetry collection receives a publicity consultation and publication by Fordham University Press.

This competition has two awards. The Poetic Justice Institute Prize is for all writers, while the Editor’s Prize is only for BIPOC writers. Submissions must be 50 to 120 pages in length, and there is a $28 entry fee.

The  Airlie Prize  is an award from Airlie Press given each year for a poetry collection. The prize is $1,000 and publication by the press, and the press’s editors serve as the judges.

Send a manuscript of 48 to 90 pages and a $25 entry fee to the Arlie Press to apply for this contest.

The National Poetry Series has an  Open Competition  with an impressive $10,000 cash prize for the winning manuscript. This award also comes with publication by a participating publication company.

Send 48 to 64 pages and a $35 entry fee to the National Poetry Series to submit a manuscript.

The University of Wisconsin offers a  Creative Writing Fellowship  at the UW-Madison campus to at least five writers each year. Though this does not have a cash prize, it does include a stipend of at least $39,000 to help pay for school.

To apply for the fellowship, a poet must be working on a first or second book of poetry or other fiction. Submission guidelines are up to 10 pages of poetry and a $50 entry fee. Applicants also need to submit two references.

Cash prizes of up to $5,500 are available through the  Association of Writers & Writing Programs Award Series . Both a short story collection and a poetry collection will receive an award.

Poetry applicants must submit up to 48 pages of work. The entry fee is $30.

Finally, consider the  Omnidawn Publishing First/Second Poetry Book Contest . This contest awards $3,000 to an up-and-coming poet, along with publication and one hundred author copies of the published work. To apply, submit a poetry manuscript of 40 to 120 pages and the $27 entry fee.

What are the most prestigious poetry contests?

Poetry Competitions for newcomers to the writing industry can be hard to find. However, some examples include the Montreal International Poetry Prize, the Kate Tufts Discovery Award, the Walt Whitman Award and the Dylan Thomas International Poetry Award. Prizes range from $2,000-$10,000, depending on whether a single poem or collection of poetry is submitted.

Should I submit to poetry contests?

Before entering a poetry contest, it is wise to consider if you are entering for fun or for professional purposes. Contests can be a good way to meet other poets and improve your craft, but several contests have a submission fee for entry, so be careful not to spend more on contests than you can realistically make from poetry, especially since contests are not a guaranteed way to get published.

Join over 15,000 writers today

Get a FREE book of writing prompts and learn how to make more money from your writing.

Success! Now check your email to claim your prompts.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

writing poetry competitions

Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006. She specializes in education content and real estate writing but enjoys a wide gamut of topics. Her goal is to connect with the reader in an engaging, but informative way. Her work has been featured on USA Today, and she ghostwrites for many high-profile companies. As a former teacher, she is passionate about both research and grammar, giving her clients the quality they demand in today's online marketing world.

View all posts

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

Poetry Nation

Poetry Contests

Enter the poetry contests for a chance to win!

Monthly poem challenges offer fun competition throughout the year and are judged by you, the poets! Each month we will post a new challenge asking you to write and submit a poem based on a theme or style of poetry.

Don’t forget to review the contest rules for more detailed information about submissions. Also, read the guidelines for poetry rating to get an idea of what our judges look for in a winning poem!

National Amateur Poetry Competition

The National Amateur Poetry Competition is now accepting entries for our next contest. We encourage new and previously unpublished poets to participate. All qualified entries will receive notification of acceptance within a few weeks.

The Poetry Nation Monthly Contest

Latest collections.

Path of Desolation

Path of Desolation

Created by ryan monaco

Jeri

Love, War, Friendship, and Death

Created by Cody Katastrophic

What Does It Take to Win?

Our winners’ backgrounds are as varied as the poems they enter. There is no set topic or style most likely to win. More than anything, prize-winning poems employ a number of poetic devices, including figurative language, vivid imagery, personification, alliteration, and irony, just to name a few. Poems describing everyday topics in creative, uncommon, and thought-provoking ways often grab our judges’ attention.

Contest Articles

To read more about previous contest winners, check out our contest articles under the News tab.

Top Collections

Earth day

Created by Mahak Kalra

Beyoud

Created by Aaron Ross

We

Created by Zaria Logan

FanStory.com

Writing Contests

Contests That Close Soon

A unique children's story, wildlife short story, all contests, a letter from god, celebrate women's history month, rhyming poetry contest, no rules poetry contest, dribble flash fiction, one line poem, 75 words flash fiction, 3 line poetry contest, sci fi or fantasy writing contest, rhyming poem, 8 words or less poem, haiku poetry contest, napowrimo april poetry contest, loop poetry contest, betrayal poetry contest, fantasy writing contest, what is love poetry, free verse poem, 80 word flash fiction, my faith poetry, share your story, take a photo poetry, 20 syllable poem, this sentence starts the story, a first book chapter, 5-7-5 poetry contest, nonet poetry contest, romance writing contest, share a story in a poem, newbie flash fiction, 2-4-2 poetry, horror writing contest, free form poetry contest, true story contest, western writing contest, acrostic poetry contest, faith flash, sonnet poetry contest, dialogue only writing contest, lune poetry contest, non-fiction writing contest, minute poetry contest, two line poem, 100 word flash fiction, free verse poetry contest, what do you like best about a man, the storm writing contest, four line poem, flash fiction, 15 syllable poem, what do you like best about a woman, faith poetry contest, tanka poetry contest, true story flash, write a screenplay, 5 line poem, write a rant, temptation poetry contest, children's poetry contest, love poem poetry contest, abc poetry contest, 6 word poetry, entering writing and poetry contests.

PoetryMama Logo

20 Free Poetry Contests to enter in 2023

Poetry Contests

Looking for online publishers, poetry contests or magazines for submissions is quite a monotonous and tiresome process in itself, let alone the chances of finding relevant info. But not anymore!

Here you’ll find monthly updated contests and submission portals that’ll help you grow as beginners and support your writing career at the same time. Every contest is provided with all the information you need to know before submitting to it. Poets from all nationalities can take part in the poetry contests without worrying about submission fee. So, go writers!

Poetry Contests

Note: Some sites might be area/language restricted , VPN is recommended .

Table of Contents

Poetry Contests:

1. 2023 young people’s poetry competition.

Deadline for the Next Volume: 31st March 2023

Shatter Me Series in Order (11 Books) (2023)

Submission requirement : This year’s theme is ‘ memory ‘ . The contest is available to young people aged between 5 and 18 years old who live in the UK .

Prize: Judged by David Devanny and a panel of judges with prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and highly commended places in each category. This year they’ll also have an honourable mention for a young poet based in Cornwall.

2. POETRY FOUNDATION

Deadline: No deadline

Submission requirement: They consider only previously unpublished work with single submission of maximum 4 poems (up to 10 pages total) per category at one time for their contests. Open to simultaneous submissions .

Payment : Text poems are paid $10/line with a minimum honorarium of $300 per poem. For visual poems, audio poems, and video poems, it’s $300 per poem. For prose, it’s $150 per published page.

3. Erbacce-prize Submissions 2023

Deadline: 30th April 2023

Submission requirements : 5 pages of poetry are accepted along with previously published ones. Only one submission per poet is entertained.

Prize: Winner will be given a publishing contract with erbacce-press. 1-2 runners-up will be considered & will win either a perfect bound book or a high quality chap-book. 4 other poets will be chosen to be the ‘Featured Poet’ in each of the quarterly copies.

4. THE CREATIVE FUTURE WRITING AWARD

Deadline: Sunday 14 May 2023 at 11:59 pm.

Submission requirements: One piece of writing (50 line max) is acceptable. This year’s theme is ‘X’ . Entrants must be 18 years of age or over. The competition is only open to Uk residents.

Prize: wide range awards.

5.Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

Deadline: April 1, 2023 ( starts from August 15, 2022)

Submission requirements: Held by WINNING WRITERS, this poetry contest seeks today’s best humor poems. Submission should be of maximum of 250 lines . There’s no age restriction to the contest. Published as well as unpublished works are accepted as well as simultaneous submissions.

Prize : First Prize: $2,000 plus a two-year gift certificate from our co-sponsor, Duotrope (a $100 value) Second Prize: $500 Honorable Mentions: 10 awards of $100 each.Top 12 entries published online

6. The Nervous Ghost Press

Book prizes.

Deadline : open right now

Submission requirements: Only writers living in the US can apply. All work must be unpublished, original. They are looking for a full & complete manuscript of 48 to 128 pages.

Prize: $1000, Publication, author copies, and a California Reading Tour.

7. The Emerging Writer’s Contest

Deadline: from March 1 at noon EST to May 15 at noon EST.

Submission requirements : 3-5 poems are accepted in the poetry contest. It must be original and in English. Simultaneous submissions are accepted.

(Contest is only free for people with subscriptions)

Prize: Publication, $2,000, review from Aevitas Creative Management, and a 1-year subscription for one winner in each of the three genres.

8. Contemporary Verse 2  

Deadline: accepts from October 1 through May 31.

(No submissions will be accepted during the summer months of September, June, July and August.)

Submission requirements : They only accept one submission per submitter at a time. No more than 6 pages are accepted by the magazine. They have a review time of 2 to 6 months.

Payment : $30 per poem

9. GRAIN MAGAZINE

Deadline: open from September 15th to June 15th

Submission requirements: They accept typed, unpublished material only.

Individual poems, sequences, or suites up to a maximum of six pages are allowed.

Payment: $50 per page to a maximum of $250, plus two copies of the issue in which their work appears.

10. The Malahat Review

Deadline: Submissions by international writers are accepted during the following six months: January and February , May through July , and November .

Submission requirements: They do not publish any kinds of already published work whether offline or online. Simultaneous submission accepted. They accept 3 to 5 poems (up to 10 pages max).

Payment: CAD$70 per published page plus a one-year print subscription and two copies of the issue in which your work appears. 

11. The Christopher Salmon Foundation Poetry Competition 2023

Deadline: Friday, 31st March 2023

Submission requirements: Entrants must live or attend school or college in the Wirral area and should be 19 or below years of age. The theme set for the competition is “sunshine”.

Entry should not be more than 30 lines and only one entry per person is permitted.

Prize: . £100 per person per category

12. Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award

Deadline: March 1, 2023

Submission requirements: The poetry contest is open to residents of Iowa. Poets and fiction writers who have published no more than one full-length book in the genre in which they are applying are eligible. 7 to 10 pages of poetry are accepted.

Payment: Two prizes of $500 each are awarded annually to a poet and a fiction writer from a select state. Each winner will also receive a monthlong residency at the Jentel Artist Residency Program in Wyoming and will meet with writers, editors, publishers, and agents virtually or in person in New York City

13. Split Lip Magazine

Deadline: open on in selected months i.e. January, March, May, August, September, November.

Submission requirements: They are looking for ‘First-time electronic publication rights’ meaning fresh work that’s not published anywhere. They accept simultaneous submissions with one submission per writer at a time.

Payment: $75 per author for poems along with payment for print is $ 5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2contributor copies.

14. Copper Nickel Magazine

Deadline: Open from September 1 to December 15, January 15 to March 1.

Submission requirements: They accept four to six poems at a time. Simultaneous submissions are accepted.

Payment: $30 per printed page + two copies of the issue in which the author’s work appears + a one-year subscription. They also award two $500 prizes per issue—the Editors’ Prizes in Poetry and prose.

15. Harpur Palate

Deadline: runs September 15-November 15 and February 15-April 15.

Submission requirements: They accept 1-5 poems per reading period( 10 pages) for the contest. Poems with a strong lyric voice and sense of urgency are preferred. Simultaneous submissions are accepted .

Payment: NIL

16. The Alpine Fellowship Poetry Prizes 2023

Deadline: 1st January 2023 to 1st March 2023 at 23:59 (UK time)

Submission requirements: Applicants must be aged 18 or above with all entries in English. A single poem or a collection of poems are accepted at a time with maximum of 500 words per entry for the poetry contest.

Prize: First place: £3,000 cash grant , Second place: £1,000 travel expense, Third place: £1,000 with travel expense and the runners up will receive travel expense support that must be used to attend our 2023 symposium

17. Waxwing Literary Journal

Deadline: August 1 through April 30

Submission requirements: one to five poems are accepted in a single document in this poetry contest. Simultaneous submissions are allowed.

Payment: Not mentioned

Deadline: Not mentioned

Submission requirements: They only consider unpublished work with four poems per reading period. Simultaneous submissions are permitted.

Payment: They pay $200 per poem, up to 4 poems; for a suite of 5 or more poems, they pay $1,000.

19. Annual BSFS Poetry Contest

Deadline: March 1, 2023.

Submission requirements: Entries should address the themes of science fiction/fantasy/horror/science. 3 poems/person, maximum 60 lines each is accepted for this poetry contest.

Prize : 1st prize: $100 ; 2nd prize: $75 ; 3rd prize: $50 .

20. Write The World POETRY COMPETITION 2023 (Expired)

Deadline: January 17, 2023

Submission requirements: Young writers ages 13-19 are eligible for the poetry contest. Submission should be less than 400 words . Only one entry per person is allowed.

Payments: Best Entry: $100 (Our guest judge’s commentary on the winning piece, and an interview with the author will be featured on Write the World’s blog) Runner up: $50 (Our guest judge’s commentary on the piece will be featured on Write the World’s blog) Best Peer Review: $50 (Our guest judge’s commentary on the best peer review and an interview with the reviewer will be featured on Write the World’s blog)

About the author:

Jaezlan Jahan

Jaezlan Jahan

Related posts:, 15 thoughts on “20 free poetry contests to enter in 2023”.

writing poetry competitions

Great blog!

writing poetry competitions

Thanks Paul Great to be of help!

writing poetry competitions

I want to know more about poetry contests

Hey! Sure. You can contact us at [email protected] for all your queries.

writing poetry competitions

This is most helpful. Thanks so much!

Hey Hassan Usman

Great to hear that! It’ll be updated once any contest expires. Keep in touch! Thanks

writing poetry competitions

Hi, why are the contests showing expired?

Hey Susan Mack

Writing contests have deadlines, so if any deadline has been met, an ‘expired ‘ tag comes along so you would know before clicking!

Our list has been updated, so there are no more expired ones! Go writer!

writing poetry competitions

I’m from Ghana and I have the interest to write the poems. How do I submit my work?

Hey Ana-am Timothy Atanga

If you are eager to submit your poetry for contests, click on any provided links above and you’ll be able to find the required procedure for that specific contest.

Do remember, every contest has different requirements.

Hope Poetrymama was of help. Thanks for contacting.

writing poetry competitions

Eνerүone loves what you guys tend to be up tоo. Ѕuch cleveг work аnd coѵerage! Keep up the terrific ԝorks guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll.

Hey Stratton

It’s great to be of help. We at Poetrymama, highly appreciate your incorporating us! Thank you for reviewing our work!

writing poetry competitions

سلام ، سایت خیلی عالی دارید

writing poetry competitions

I have been writing poetry for years now and never published any of my poems nor submitted them into any contests for fear that I could somehow lose all my rights because I don’t have a patent what do you suggest

Hey Grover!

Before submitting to any contest, we suggest you go through their guidelines first. Most of the contests provide all rights of the publication to its writer. Only publishing rights and distribution rights lie with the contest holder.

But, in case you don’t feel secure in doing so, we suggest you to submit your work to well known magazines. In that way, you’ll have all rights to yourself with additional payment from the magazine.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

About PoetryMama

PoetryMama is a global platform where you can discover latest Writing Trends, Poetry Contests, Book Reviews and more.

Important Links

Subscribe now.

Don’t miss our future blogs and updates! Get Subscribed Today!

Copyright © 2023 PoetryMama. All Rights Reserved. Powered By WebZinga

writing poetry competitions

Communication

Enter our writing contests.

Students get published, win prizes,

teachers earn school supplies

Writing Contests for Students in Grades K-9 

Testimonioal story, trusted by over 59,000 schools, find out why teachers and parents love us.

It is an honor to work with you. The pride our students share is unbelievable when it comes to their writing. It is a great way to turn them on to poetry, self-expression, and social studies. We thank you.

Thanks again for your wonderful competition. Over many years, I have seen kids grow in their enthusiasm for writing. Fantastic! Today, 39 of our students walked out the door feeling like champions!

Wow! We do several different poetry exercises and projects throughout the year and I have found that the experience of working with your contest helps create extra student enthusiasm for their work and our various topics.

We were also very pleased to be named one of the schools to receive a Poetic Achievement Award. Thank you for sponsoring this poetry contest. It allowed our student poets the opportunity to see that they can, and do write for a real audience.

I want to thank you. Your contest will boost self-confidence, especially for those students who do not play sports. I hope we can continue to contribute to your book. My students are thrilled to see their work in such a wonderful publication! Thank you for your efforts.

This contest is an excellent tool for motivation and stimulates an appreciation for poetry. It has proven to be a self-esteem booster for my students and stirs a sense of energy I have found hard to generate from regular instruction in the classroom. My students have found a purpose for writing, and I have you to thank for creating such an opportunity.

Thank you for conducting this contest. Knowing that their poems will be published has given these students a feeling of success. Since they are all Title I reading students who have difficulty with reading and writing anyway, your recognition of their literary talents has been especially meaningful to them.

I would like to say thank you for your wonderful contest. I can't tell you how excited this year's students were to submit their work. When we presented our poems at our Author's Tea, the parents were very pleased. Presenting your poem and then having it published, is a wonderful way to start the school year.

Thank you for offering the contest/anthology for young writers. In this world of video games, virtual reality, and other technological hooplah, it is nice to have a group such as you who still value the written word! So many high school students love to write poetry and I think it is wonderful to provide a vehicle through which to showcase their work.

Your company is doing a great thing for our youth! Writing down thoughts and feelings is a way to express what's inside and very healthy! I pray for all of you to receive a blessing for the kindness and generosity toward our family. Creative Communication is the "real thing!" They deliver a wonderful anthology jammed with the words of our youth - BRAVO!

Why Should You Participate?

Teachers .

GO TO TEACHER PAGE

Students 

GO TO STUDENT PAGE

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ENTER?

It all starts with a single word….

Fall: December 15th Spring: April 6th Summer: August 11th

ACCEPTED TO BE PUBLISHED?

Every great writer started somewhere.

In fifth grade, Taylor Swift was a Top Ten Winner in our contest with the Poem

"Monster in My Closet!"

Just like Taylor Swift, you can start here

We support education, students awards, school awards.

For the past 20 years we have awarded over 2 million dollars in cash prizes, school supplies and free books. You and your students can share in the rewards by entering our writing competitions. We have writing contests for elementary school students and middle school students.

It is our goal to help your student find their creative competition through expressing their thoughts and feelings with the power of writing. Our writing contests are open to the U.S. and are broken down by grade divisions. Enter your students today in one of our many contests for their works of poetry.

Poetry Workshop

poetryMachine

General Links

Contact Information

Please feel free to contact us. We have real people who

answer the phone and are willing to help if you have questions or concerns.

Creative Communication

3000 N Main Street, Unit D

North Logan, UT 84341

Phone: (435) 713 - 4411

Fax: (435) 713 - 4411

Send Us A Message

We Are Social

writing poetry competitions

® Copyright 2014 - 2023 - All Rights Reserved

Haandi - 2.1.1-P1

Christopher Fielden

writing poetry competitions

Writing Advice:

5 starts.

Follow me on Twitter. Find me on Facebook. My Facebook Business Page. Connect with me on LinkedIn. Subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Subscribe to my mailing list

Poetry competitions.

Quick links on this page:

Last updated 14th March 2023

Below you will find details of many national and international poetry competitions, contests, awards and prizes from all over the world, including Australia, Canada, England (and the rest of the UK), Ireland and the USA. There are competitions suitable for poets of all ages and levels of capability. I recommend that you read and make sure you fully understand the rules and the terms & conditions of each competition listed before entering.

PLEASE NOTE:  Most of the poetry competitions listed on this page accept entries from writers living anywhere in the world.  The country each publication is run from is listed so you know which global market you are submitting to.

Elegant Literature Monthly Fiction Magazine

If you run a poetry competition and would like your contest to be included in the lists below, please contact me providing all of the following information (please don't just send me a link - give the full details requested below in an email):

If you spot any mistakes, incorrect information or broken links on this page, please feel free to contact me - I do my best to fix any problems quickly.

This page is updated regularly throughout the year. I add new competitions as I become aware of them and update mistakes users point out. I undertake a full update, checking every link, during December / January each year.

back to top

Featured Poetry Competitions

Do you run a poetry competition? Would you like it featured on this page? If so, please  get in touch . This page attracts thousands of visits a month.

Featured Competition:  FanStory

FanStory Logo

At FanStory new poetry contests are available.

You'll Enjoy

Poetry Contest Highlights

Rhyming Poem : Share a poem that has a clear rhyme scheme. Cash Prize!

8 Words or Less Poem : Can you write a poem with only 8 words? Now is your chance to try this and have a chance at the cash prize .

5-7-5 Poetry : Write a 5-7-5! What's that. It's a poem with three lines. The first line has five syllables. The second line has seven. The third line has five again.

Free Verse Poem : Write a poem that is free form. Free verse does not follow any structure or style. Enter for your chance at the cash prize .

Two Line Poem : Share a poem with two lines. Each line must have exactly six syllables. There should be an internal rhyme and an ending rhyme. View the announcement for an example. Cash prize to the winner.

Haiku : A Haiku is often about nature. It's a short poem. Cash Prize!

2-4-2 Poetry Contest : Share a poem that only has three lines and eight syllables. Cash Prize!

Children's Poetry Contest : Write a poem for a child. Share a poem that your child or grandchild would enjoy. Cash Prize!

View the full list of poetry contests .

Regular Poetry Contests

This list contains information about poem competitions run on a regular basis; daily, weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, bi-annually, tri-annually etc. If you're new to poetry and have not yet been published, this is a good place to start.

Poetry Critiquing Service

Prestigious / Big Prize Poetry Competitions

This list contains details of prestigious poetry contests offering large monetary prizes in excess of £1,000 ($, € or other currency). Competition will be high - big prizes tend to attract more entries.

Short Story Writing Course

Annual Poetry Contests

This table lists details of poetry competitions run yearly.

Free Short Story Writing Course

Poetry Competitions For Young Writers & Children

This list has now been moved to its own dedicated page to improve usability. You can see the young writer competitions page here . This resource lists writing and poetry competitions specifically for young adults and children.

Young Writer Contests

There are sometimes other poetry opportunities for young writers listed in the  one-off competitions lists , or on the  Flash Fiction competitions page . You can also find details of scholarships on my  non-fiction contest page .

Poetry Critique Service

One-Off Poetry Writing Competitions

This table will list one-off poetry contests.

How to Write a Short Story book ad

Other Poetry Competition Lists

There are other websites that supply poetry competition calendars. They are listed below (if you run one on your site, please get in touch):

Daily Poetry Prompts

A History of Closed Poetry Competitions

This table will contain a history of previously listed poetry contests that have closed.

This page may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy .

Leave your comments

Please use the form below to leave your comments. All comments will be reviewed so won't appear on the page instantly. I will not share your details with anyone else. Most recent comments appear at the bottom of the page, oldest at the top.

Your Details:

Please prove you're a human by entering the security code in the box below: 3272, your comments:.

Beth S Great info on contests and submissions! Thank you so much. I'm a creative writing teacher at a high school in SC, and I write myself, of course - mostly poetry. I was able to find good places to submit for my son's SciFi work, and I'm going to tell my students about your postings as a good resource! Best of luck to you with your writing.

Chris Fielden Thanks very much, Beth - I'm glad to hear you find the resources on the website useful :-)

Audrey AJ Thanks so much for all this... very helpful.  I thought you should know that the Troubadour Prize dates have changed - closing date June. Prize winners are contacted in August.

Hope this is helpful!

PS There is an annual Grey Hen poetry competition as well.

Chris Fielden Thanks very much, Audrey - this is very helpful indeed. Without people telling me when there are mistakes on the list, it's very hard to keep up to date.

I've updated the Troubadour Prize details and added Grey Hen too.

Anjum I saw that all the contests are for people living in the USA or UK. I am from India... can I participitate?

Chris Fielden Hi Anjum. Yes, you can participate in most of them.

The country in the listing just tells you where the contest is based/run from. Most will accept entries from writers residing anywhere in the world. Just check the individual competition's submission guidelines and terms and conditions before entering.

Mahlet Z I wanted to apply for the compilation of writing poems and I was wondering if there is a prize for the winner. And when is the forthcoming competition?

Chris Fielden Hi Mahlet. This page lists multiple poetry competitions. All of them run at different times and offer different prizes. Please use the links on the page to research the rules for each competition. I hope that answers your question...?

Abigail W Throughyour site, I entered the Grindstone poetry competition and, although I didn't win, I got into the top 10%. The feedback was also very useful.

Just wanted to say thank you.

Chris Fielden That’s excellent news, Abigail – congratulations. Getting into the top 10% is a great achievement :-)

Herbert H Which ones are the best for book-length contests for humorous poetry? I write humor, irony, and satire, and am a professional public speaker through Toastmasters and National Speakers Association. Wergle likes humor, but not book-length entries. Does anybody else at all? Herb

Chris Fielden Hi Herb. The individual listings mention when the competitions are for book-length poetry collections. And you would have to check each competition's submission guidelines and do some market research (read previous winners books) to see if your style would be suitable.

You might also find my list of book and novel competitions useful. Some of those may also accept poetry. Again, you'd have to research each competition individually.

Sorry I can't be of more help, but I'm not a poet so don't have a huge amount of knowledge on the market.

I wish you the best of luck with your search.

The Shafiullah M Very nice. Good to read. Iam from Fatickchari Thana, Bangladesh. I like writing poetry. I am a published poet. Just wanted to say thank you.

Chris Fielden No problem, The Shafiullah.

Thanks you for commenting. Glad you found the lists useful :-)

Easter C I am quite interested in entering writing competitions, especially poetry and non-fiction (essay). Thank you for these lists.

Chris Fielden Thanks, Easter. Good luck with your submissions :-)

Easter C Thank you – you too!

Katina S Hi there, I'm from the Bahamas and I'm wondering if you facilitate competitions that students in my country can participate in?

Chris Fielden Hi Katina. I list many - most of the competitions listed on my website will accept entries from anywhere in the world. You just need to check their submission guidelines.

I don't know of any based in the Bahamas, so please let me know if you do.

Katina S Hi Chris. The ones I noted on the website have specific countries they would accept participants from. I'll preview again. I want my students to have some exposure with international competitions to extend their writing craft. Thanks for your response.

Chris Fielden Hi Katina. No problem :-)

The countries listed on the website are just where the competitions are based. Most are open for international submissions. I just list the country as many writers like to know what global market they are submitting to.

Your students may enjoy my writing challenges . I accept entries from anywhere and every story received is published.

Katina S Wonderful!

Thanks so much.

Kris P Could you send me a link of a competition... online... free entry... and a good prize for the winner?

Chris Fielden Hi Kris. There are loads of competitions listed on this page, some of which are free to enter and some of which offer decent prizes. Please have a look through them and see which appeals to you the most :-)

Cora G My poem has been accepted to feature in The International Poetry Digest. Could you please let me know if this is a reputable publisher? Thank you!

Chris Fielden Hi Cora. Congratulations - that's great news! I'm not familiar with this publication, so I don't know I'm afraid. Please let me know how you get on :-)

Yvonne M Thanks so much, Chris. Your work on our behalf is very much appreciated.

Chris Fielden No problem, Yvonne :-)

Michael E Hi. Question: How can I find what poetry contest I won and the name of my poem that I wrote to win a USA poetry contest  years ago? It was published in a poetry book also I dont remember the name though. Could you please help me find it? Ty, Michael

Chris Fielden Hi Michael. If you don't know the name of the contest or your poem, then I'm afraid it's unlikely you'll be able to find it.

You could try doing a Google search for your name and see if that brings anything up? If you remember the year that you won, you could try searching for that alongside your name and words like 'poem' and 'poetry contest'. Just a thought... it might help.

Good luck with finding it.

Chris Fielden PS - Michael, having done a search I found a page on the Sixfold website , a journal that publishes poetry and short stories. Is this what you were looking for?

Pam M Do you email out the latest competitions?

Chris Fielden Hi Pam, thanks for your message.

No, I don't do emails for new comps I'm afraid. I do update this page regularly though :-)

Vusumuzi Casey G Hello. I'm a poet in Swaziland (Eswatini) and I wish to enter into a competition, but since my country does not have contests and is not featured here I'm not exactly sure if I'm eligible. Can I enter? VCaseyGee

Chris Fielden Hi VCaseyGee. I list the country the contests are based in so writers know which global markets they are submitting to. Most of the competitions listed accept submissions from writers living anywhere in the world. That said, some do have limitations. You will have to read the submission guidelines for each contest to see if you are eligible, but you will find you can enter most of them.

I wish you the best of luck with your submissions :-)

Katie M Thank you so much for compiling this information!

I am rather new to this and was wondering if there was any etiquette about entering multiple competitions? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks again.

Chris Fielden Hi Katie. No problem, glad you're finding the lists helpful.

Many competitions forbid simultaneous submissions, but an ever-increasing number are accepting them. You will have to read the rules and terms and conditions of each contest / publication you want to submit to and see what they stipulate.

Good luck with your submissions :-)

Kiki W Hello. I was wondering, can I enter more than one competition with the same poem in the same period of time? Thanks.

Chris Fielden Hi Kiki. It depends on the competition or poetry publication you are submitting to. Some accept simultaneous submissions, some don't. I'm afraid you will have to do some research on whichever comps you wish to enter. Most publications state that kind of thing in their submission guidelines or terms and conditions.

I would add that an increasing amount of publications now seem to be accepting simultaneous submissions, so it's a lot more common than it used to be, which is good for us writers :-)

Good luck with submitting your poems.

Kiki W Thank you.

Chris Fielden No problem :-)

Kolongs V Good work per se... But for those poetry contests with an entry fee, how does one go about the payment if one is not living in the organizing country? It's good they simplify everything. Kudos!

Chris Fielden Thanks for your message. Most of the competitions use PayPal, Worldpay, Google Pay or a similar payment service provider. They deal with currency conversions, allowing the writer to pay in their native currency using credit card, debit card etc. So in most cases, payment is simple no matter where you live :-)

Kolongs V OK, that is good. I shall make an attempt.

Aravindan SS Hi. Please note I write English poetry and want to participate in competitions which do not have any entry fee.

In the above list of poetry competitions, where the entry fee is free, when I happen to browse in such fee free competitions, there is fee. So the above above table of competitions is incorrect with regards to entry fee. Please update the list of competitions whose entry fee is really free. Awaiting for your update.

Chris Fielden Hi Aravindan. Sorry about that.

This page is overhauled once a year, in January, but some of the details do go out of date over time.

Please can you let me know which competition you clicked on that is marked as free incorrectly? I will then update the listing accordingly. Many thanks.

Aravindan SS Dear Chris, thanks for your reply. It will take much time to get the list of free competitions which actually charge fees on their websites. It would be better if you can get a sign off from those who conduct such competitions about fees.

Chris Fielden Hi Aravindan. Well, I’ve had a look and all the listings I’ve checked are correct… I can’t find the incorrect one you were looking at sorry.

Aravindan SS Hi Chris. If I find time I will check those and will let you know on this. Thanks for your support.

Chris Fielden No problem. That’s great, thanks Aravindan :-)

Aravindan SS Great, thanks!

Esther Very informative. Thank you.

Chris Fielden No problem, thanks Esther :)

Lizzie S This is amazing. Thanks for collecting the info and constantly updating.

Chris Fielden No problem, Lizzie. Glad it's useful :-)

Emmanuel KA My twelve years old boy is a creative writer. Will you permit him to submit his work in order to take part in this content?

Chris Fielden Hi Emmanuel, thank you for your message.

The competitions listed on my poetry comps page all have different rules and submission guidelines, so you would have to check each competition website.

If you are looking for competitions for you son, my young writers competition list is probably the best one to look at because all the contests are aimed at children and young adults. Your son could also submit to my Amazing Young Writers Challenge , which aimed at children and young adults in fulltime education.

I hope that's of interest and wish your son all the very best with his writing and submissions :)

Ndubuisi K The site has been helpful. Just can't wait to get involved in some of these competitions.

Chris Fielden Glad to hear the site has been helpful, Ndubuisi. I wish you the best of luck with your submissions :-)

Michelle RO I wrote a poem that was published in an anthology but can't remember the name. The poem was called 'Destiny'.

Chris Fielden That's great news, congratulations Michelle. It's a shame you can't remember the anthology name... :-)

Will Thanks Chris. Daft as it sounds, I found the "closed" contests as useful as the "open" ones: this will save me so much time checking and/or flogging dead horses. Best, Will 

Chris Fielden Thanks, Will, great to hear :) All the best.

P.A. B Thanks. I wrote a 118 line humorous narrative poem only to to find it broke the size rules just about everywhere. The Wergle Flomp competition was just what I was after. I reckon to win it unless they notice my poem rhymes.

Chris Fielden Glad you found the lists helpful, P.A. Good luck with your Wergle Flomp entry :)

P.A. B Thanks. Poem is called "The Queen's New Cat". Just so you know when it gets first prize. What, me arrogant? Never!

After checking poetrycircle.com I now know why the competition is free. 15 poems in the genre for the whole of last year.

Humorous poetry is, if not dead, very sick. And I mean that in both ways. After looking at last year's entrants, I have to wonder if mentioning men's dangly bits is mandatory. 

Chris Fielden Arrogance is subjective… I’ll keep an eye out for your winning poem :)

The copyright of the stories and content published on this website remain with the author.

Christopher Fielden and all the other contributing authors published via this website have asserted their right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the authors of these works.

The stories and articles on this site are provided for you to read free of charge subject to the condition that they are not, by way of trade or otherwise, copied, lent, sold, hired out, printed or otherwise circulated in any format without the author’s prior consent.

Final Month!

Submit one poem to our Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest by April 1. Win $2,000. No fee.

Congratulations to our North Street Book Prize Winners

Diane Chiddister wins the grand prize of $8,000. Read about the winning entries.

Congratulations to our Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest Winners

CB Anderson and Elizabeth Becker take top honors. Read the winning entries.

Deadline Midnight Tonight! Win $3,000 for a Poem

Our annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest . $8,000 in prizes. Submit online.

Congratulations to our Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest winner!

Leila Murton Poole of New Zealand won $2,000. Read the winning entries.

Deadline Tonight! North Street Book Prize

Win $8,000 for your self-published book. Gifts for all contestants. Submit by June 30.

Enter our Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest . Win $3,000 for your story or essay.

Congratulations to our Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest Winners

Edythe Rodriguez and Qin Qin take top honors. Read the winning entries.

Available now! Get a critique for your book, manuscript, or shorter works.

Just $90-$135. Satisfaction guaranteed. Learn more.

New! Get a critique for your poem, story, or essay.

We guarantee your satisfaction. Try it today.

Congratulations to our Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest Winners

Koss, Marcus Bales, and J. Clark Hubbard take top honors. Read the winning entries.

Final day! Win $5,000 for your self-published book

Congratulations to the winners of our north street book prize.

Christine Mulvey won the $5,000 Grand Prize. Read about the winning entries.

Our annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest . $4,000 in prizes. September 30 deadline.

Our annual North Street Book Prize for Self-Published Books . $6,000 in prizes. June 30 deadline.

Congratulations to the winners of our inaugural North Street Book Prizes!

Jenna Leigh Evans, Elizabeth Kirschner, and Gloria Taylor Weinberg take top honors. Read about the winning entries.

Our annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest . $2,250 in prizes. No fee. Enter by April 1.

Get instant access to our database of the best free literary contests — subscribe to our free newsletter

One of the Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers

comics-ali-tall

Home  >  Our Contests

Our Contests

subheadline or date or by line will go here

These are the current annual contests sponsored by Winning Writers. Read the past winning entries.

Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest

North Street Book Prize

Sports Fiction & Essay Contest

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest (no fee)

Are you looking for our online database of The Best Free Literary Contests? Click here

writing poetry competitions

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

Prizes: $3,500 Deadline: Apr 1, 2023 Most Recent Winners No Fee!

Prizes: $9,000 Deadline: Apr 30, 2023 Most Recent Winners

Prizes: $20,400 Deadline: Jun 30, 2023 Most Recent Winners For self-published and hybrid-published books

Prizes: $9,000 Deadline: Sep 30, 2023 Most Recent Winners

Creative Future Writers’ Award 75 pounds prize, contest added: received by May 14 | Visit source

Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors $3,000 prize, deadline change: received by June 13 | Visit source

View All News

Customer Support

Let us help! We generally respond within one business day.

IMAGES

  1. Poetry Contests 2022

    writing poetry competitions

  2. 2017 Poetry Contest Poster

    writing poetry competitions

  3. The Poetry Competition

    writing poetry competitions

  4. An Extensive List of Writing Competitions in 2020 and Beyond

    writing poetry competitions

  5. Corinium Museum poetry Competition http://coriniummuseum.org/2014/11/06/corinium-poetry

    writing poetry competitions

  6. Hospice Hope

    writing poetry competitions

VIDEO

  1. Explanations of Poetry

  2. Some poetry lines

  3. Matt Damon's secret deal with his STUNTMEN #shorts

  4. Introduction To Poetry

  5. Bin_Mange_Urdu_Poetry_competitions shahver_Jaffry_&_Momina_sundas

  6. Poetry 2009 March 11

COMMENTS

  1. Writing Contests, Grants & Awards March/April 2023

    Writing Contests, Grants & Awards · James Jones Literary Society · First Novel Fellowship · Bellingham Review · Literary Awards · The Word Works · Washington Prize.

  2. Best 195 Poetry Writing Contests in 2023

    The Letter Review Prize for Poetry · The UNO Writing Center's Writing Contest · 3nd Annual WCWF Writing Contest · Evening Standard Stories Competition · Bacopa

  3. 20 Poetry Contests To Enter In 2023

    2. Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine · 3. Derek Walcott Prize for Poetry ; 4. Ballard Spahr Prize for Poetry · 5. Autumn House Poetry Contest ; 6. Poetry

  4. Poetry Contest Entry Form

    Enter your poem for a free chance to win up to $2,000 in cash and prizes! Our semi-annual contest awards 100 third-place poems, 20 runners-up, and one $2,000

  5. Poetry Contests

    The National Amateur Poetry Competition is now accepting entries for our next contest. We encourage new and previously unpublished poets to participate. All

  6. Poetry and Writing Contests. Our full listing of contests.

    Write a nine line poem for this poetry contest. But you must count syllables. The first line of your poem will have nine syllables. The second line has eight

  7. 20 Free Poetry Contests to enter in 2023

    1. 2023 YOUNG PEOPLE'S POETRY COMPETITION · 2. POETRY FOUNDATION · 3. Erbacce-prize Submissions 2023 · 4. THE CREATIVE FUTURE WRITING AWARD. Platinum · 5.Wergle

  8. Writing Contests

    Become a published writer by entering our free poetry contest. Winners will be featured in an anthology and can win cash awards. Students from grades K-9

  9. Poetry Competitions, Lists of Contests, Awards & Prizes for Poems

    prestigious poetry contests offering substantial monetary prizes; annual poem competitions; poetry competitions for young writers and children; one-off poetry

  10. Our Contests

    Our Contests · Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest · Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest · North Street Book Prize · Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry