essay contest december 2022

65 Writing Contests in December 2022 — No entry fees

Erica Verrillo

Curiosity Never Killed the Writer

T his December there are more than five dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $45,000 to publication. None charge entry fees.

Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.

If you want to get a jump on next month’s contests go to Free Contests . Most of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline is past, you can prepare for next year.

___________________________

Green Stories Writing Competition: Orna Ross Green Stories Novel Prize . Genre : Novel that inspires green behaviour and raises awareness of the necessary transformations towards a sustainable economy. Prize : £1000 for the winner and £500 for runner up. Half price manuscript appraisal (worth £300–400) for top three entries by established literary consultancy Daniel Goldsmith. Deadline : December 1, 2022.

The Kierkegaard Poetry Competition . Genre : Poetry inspired by Kierkegaard. Prize : $500 top prize. Deadline : December 1, 2022.

Subnivean New Writers Award: CNY High School Writing Scholarship Competition . Restrictions : Open to high-school-aged writers in Oswego County, Onondaga County, Oneida County, Herkimer County, Madison County, Cayuga County and Cortland County. Genre : Short stories and poetry. Prize : $100 bookstore gift certificate, $1,000 scholarship to attend SUNY Oswego as a creative writing or English major. Deadline : December 1, 2022.

Stowe Prize . Restrictions : US authors only. Genre : Fiction, nonfiction or body of work that “makes a tangible impact on a social justice issue critical to contemporary society.” Prize : $10,000. Deadline : December 1, 2022.

Thomas and Lillie D. Chaffin Award for Appalachian Writing . Restrictions : Open to published writers who are writing from the region. Genres : All. Prize : $1000. Deadline : December 1, 2022.

The Association of Jewish Libraries Jewish Fiction Award. Genre : All works of fiction with significant Jewish thematic content written in English–novels, short story and flash fiction collections–by a single author published and available for purchase in the United States during 2022 are eligible for the award. Jewish thematic content means an extended grappling with Jewish themes throughout the book, including Judaism, Jewish history and culture, Jewish identity, etc. Prize : The award will include a $1,000 cash prize as well as support to attend the AJL conference to receive the award. Deadline : December 1, 2022.

The Pushcart Prize honors the best “poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot” published in small presses and literary magazines. Magazine and small press editors may nominate up to six works. Pushcart Press publishes yearly anthologies of the winning submissions. Prize : Publication. Deadline : December 1, 2022.

The David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction is offered annually to the best book in American historical fiction that is both excellent fiction and excellent history. Prize : $1,000. Deadline : December 1, 2022.

The Schneider Family Book Award is sponsored by the American Library Association. The award honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Prize : Three annual awards each consisting of $5000 and a framed plaque, will be given annually in each of the following categories: birth through grade school (age 0–10), middle school (age 11–13) and teens (age 13–18). (Age groupings are approximations). Genre : May be fiction, biography, or other form of nonfiction. Deadline : December 1, 2022.

The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry . Restrictions : Open to African poets who have not yet published a collection of poetry. Genre : Poetry. Prize : $1,000 and book publication through the University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in Senegal. Deadline : December 1, 2022.

Rise & Shine Mini Contest . Restrictions : Open to women. Genre : Micro poems, micro essays, and flash fiction. Prize : $75.00 USD Prize in Poetry, $75.00 USD Prize in Prose. Deadline : December 1, 2022.

The Blossom Contest . Restrictions : Open to BIPOC writers. Genre: Prose and poetry. Prize: $200.00 USD Prize in Poetry, $200.00 USD Prize in Prose. Deadline : December 1, 2022.

Poetry Center at Smith College Prize . Restrictions : Open to sophomore or junior high school girls in New England. Genre : Poetry. Prize : $500. Deadline : December 1, 2022.

Women’s Prize for Fiction . Genre : Published novel by a woman. Entrants must be writing in English and must be published in the UK between 1 December 2022 and 31 March 2023. All subject matters and women of any age, from any nationality or country of residence are eligible. Prize : £30,000.00. Deadline : December 2, 2022.

WWPH Writes Holiday Poetry & Prose Contest . Restrictions : Open to residents of the District of Columbia, Maryland or Virginia. Genre : Poetry and prose. Prize : $100. Deadline : December 4, 2022.

Furious Fiction . Genre : Flash fiction, 500 words max. Prize : $500. Deadline : December 5, 2022. Opens December 2.

Quantum Shorts Competition . Genre : Fiction stories, under 1,000 words, that are “clearly inspired by some aspect of quantum physics.” For 2020, entries also must contain the phrase “It’s a lot to think about.” Prize : $1,500 and online publication. Deadline : December 5, 2022.

Globe Soup Alternative Story Titles Challenge . Genre : Alternative title for short story (See site). Prize : £100. Deadline : December 5, 2022.

Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing . Genre : Book of literary nonfiction that captures a political subject of relevance to Canadian readers and has the potential to shape or influence thinking on contemporary Canadian political life. Book must be published in Canada. Prize : CAN $25,000. Deadline : December 6, 2022. (For books published between October 4, 2022 and December 5, 2022)

J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award . Genre : Nonfiction book. Applicants for the award must already have a contract with a U.S.-based publisher to write a nonfiction book. Award : $25,000. Deadline : December 8, 2022.

Flo Gault Student Poetry Prize . Restrictions : Full-time undergraduate college students in Kentucky. Genre : Poetry. Prize : $1000. Deadline : December 9, 2022.

Friends of American Writers . Restrictions : The author must be a resident (or previously have been a resident for approximately five years) of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin; or the locale of the book must be in a region identified above. The author must not have published more than three books under his/her own pen name. Genres : Books can be fiction or creative non-fiction and published in 2022. Self-published and e-Books are not eligible. Prize : $500 — $2000. Deadline : December 10, 2022.

Moniack Mhor Emerging Writer Award . Restrictions : Open to unpublished prose writers (fiction) living and working in the UK with a collection of short stories or novel in development. Writers can be writing for any age group (including children and young adults) and may have had excerpts or articles published in the past, but have not yet published any major body of work. Genre : Fiction. Prize: “a tailor-made package worth up to £2,000 including tuition via open courses, retreat time and/or mentoring at Moniack Mhor. One highly commended applicant will also receive a course or retreat.” Deadline : December 13, 2022.

Apparition Lit . Genre : Flash fiction up to 1000 words on theme. Prize : $30. Deadline : December 14, 2022. See themes.

Patrick Henry Writing Fellowship . Genre : Nonfiction book in progress. The project should address the history and/or legacy — broadly defined — of the American Revolution and the nation’s founding ideas. It might focus on the founding era itself, or on the myriad ways the questions that preoccupied the nation’s founders have shaped America’s later history. Fellowship amount : $45,000 stipend, health benefits, faculty privileges, a book allowance, and a nine-month residency (during the academic year) in historic Chestertown, MD. Deadline : December 15, 2022.

Queer Adventurers LGBTQIA Writing Contest . Restrictions ; Open to any writer 18+ from anywhere in the world who identifies as LGBTQ+. Genre : 1,000 to 1,500 word personal essays on the theme of Shelter. Prize : $150. Deadline : December 15, 2022.

Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America Best First Crime Novel Competition . Restrictions : The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any published novel (except that authors of self-published works only may enter, as long as the manuscript submitted is not the self-published work) and is not under contract with a publisher for publication of a novel. Genre : Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story. Prize : $10,000. Deadline : December 16, 2022.

Spark Award : Held by SCBWI , open to members of SCBWI who are self-published. Genres : Fiction and nonfiction. Prize : Envy. The SCBWI is our most prestigious national organization (US) for children’s book and YA writers. Deadline : December 19, 2022.

Roswell Award for Short Science Fiction . Genre : Science fiction, 1500 words max. New Suns Climate Fiction Award, for original short science fiction that reimagines new ways of living and depicts humanity exploring and overcoming today’s climate and biodiversity crises. Prize : $500. Finalists have their stories read by celebrities in Hollywood. Deadline : December19, 2022.

Royal Institute of Philosophy Essay Prize . Topic : Essay on theme: Emotions. Prize : £2,500 top prize. Deadline : December 20, 2022.

Rider University Annual High School Writing Contest . Restrictions : Open to high school students. Genres : Essays, poetry, fiction. Prizes : 1st-$100, 2nd-$50, 3rd-$25. Deadline : December 20, 2022.

Beatrice Medicine Award for Scholarship in American Indian Studies . Genre : Essay and/or book about Native American studies published in 2022. Prize : $250. Deadline : December 20, 2022.

Solarpunk Microfiction Contest . Genre ; Microfiction, 250 words max. Prize : $25 and publication on the Solarpunk Magazine website. Deadline : December 22, 2022. See theme . Opens December 16 .

VCU Cabell First Novelist Award . Genre : First novel published in 2022. No self-published books. Prize : $5,000. Deadline : December 30, 2022.

Shady Grove Literary . Genre : Any style, genre, tone of flash fiction. Length: 300 words max. Prize : $100. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

The Writers College: My Writing Journey Competition . Genre : Essay on the theme: The best writing tip I’ve ever received. 600 words. Prize : $200 (R2 000 or £100). Deadline : December 31, 2022.

The Sator New Works Award . Genre : Debut book-length work of fiction or non-fiction by an author who identifies as trans or nonbinary. Prize : $2,500 advance and publication. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

The AIIRA Writing Contest 2022 . Restrictions : Open to all undergraduate students currently enrolled in an accredited US academic institution and 18+ years old. Genre : Fiction or creative nonfiction that ‘explores the relationship between humans, technology, and their food in 2050: what will food look, taste, and feel like; where will it come from; who will produce and transport it; and how will we access and consume it?” Prize : First Place: $2,000 USD; Second Place: $1,500 USD; Third Place: $1,000 USD. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Story Unlikely Short Story Contest . Genre : Short story. Length: 2,250 words max. Prize : $500. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Ezra Jack Keats Children’s Book Award . Genre : Published or self-published picture books that portray the universal qualities of childhood, a strong and supportive family, and the multicultural nature of our world. Prize : $3,000. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognizes outstanding works that contribute to our understanding of racism and our appreciation of the rich diversity of human cultures. Awards are given for both fiction and nonfiction. Prize : $10,000. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Griffin Poetry Prize . Restrictions : One prize goes to a living Canadian poet or translator, the other to a living poet or translator from any country, which may include Canada. Genre : Poetry. Books must have been published in English during the calendar year preceding the year of the award. Prize : C$200,000, is awarded annually in two categories — International and Canadian. Each prize is worth C$65,000. Deadline : December 31, 2022 for books published between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest . Genre : Speculative fiction prose, up to 17,000 words. Prize : $1,000 with $5,000 grand prize. Deadline : December 31, 2022. Read details HERE .

The Lyric College Poetry Contest . Restrictions : Open to undergraduates enrolled full time in an American or Canadian college or university. Genre : Poetry. Prize : $500. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Neil Postman Award for Metaphor . Sponsored by Rattle. Genre : Poetry. All published submissions during the year are considered for the prize. Follow their regular submission guidelines. Prize : $2,000. Deadline : December 31, 2022. Read more about the award HERE .

Blue Mountain Arts Poetry Card Contest . Genre : Poem. Prize : $300. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

The Caribbean Writer Prize . Genre : Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays or one act plays which explore the ideas resonating within the region and its diaspora, written by a US or UK Virgin Islands resident accepted for publication by The Caribbean Writer during the deadline year. 2022 theme: “Carrying: Reflection, Recognition and Repair.” Prize : $300. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Olde Wolf Short Story Contest . Genre : Short story. Length: 3,000 words max. Prize : $100. Deadline : December 31, 2022. This is a monthly contest .

Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award . Genre : Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Prize : $500 and publication in Meridians Journal: feminism, race, transnationalism. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

William Carlos Williams Poetry Competition . Restrictions : Open to students enrolled in programs leading to the Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy degree. Genre : Poetry. Prize: $300. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

The Four Quartets Prize . Genre : unified and complete sequence of poems published in America in a print or online journal, chapbook. Poems in the sequence may have been published in different journals provided that they were brought together and they form a complete sequence. Prize : Three finalists will receive $1,000 each. The winner will receive an additional $20,000. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award . Restrictions : Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 — $15 entry fee. Genre : Poetry, unpublished and published. Prize : $1,000. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Cecil Hemley Memorial Award . Restrictions : Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 — $15 entry fee. Genre : Poetry, unpublished and published. Lyric poem that addresses a philosophical or epistemological concern. Prize : $500. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

George Bogin Memorial Award . Restrictions : Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. Others must pay a $10 — $15 entry fee. Genre : Poetry that takes a stand against oppression. Prize : $500. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Lucille Medwick Memorial Award . Restrictions : Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 — $15 entry fee. Genre : Poetry, unpublished and published. Original poem in any form on a humanitarian theme. Prize : $500. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Lyric Poetry Award . Restrictions : Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 — $15 entry fee. Genre : A lyric poem on any subject. Prize : $500. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

The Writer Magazine/Emily Dickinson Award . Restrictions : Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. Others must pay a $10 — $15 entry fee. Genre : A poem inspired by Dickinson though not necessarily in her style. Prize : $250. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Robert H. Winner Memorial Award . Restrictions : Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. There is a charge of $10 — $15 for non-members. Open to mid-career poets who have not had substantial recognition, and is over forty, and who have published no more than one book. Genre : Poetry. Prize : $2,500. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Lilith Magazine Fiction Competition . Genre : Story of interest to Jewish women. Prize : $250. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest . Restrictions : Registered undergraduate full-time Juniors or Seniors at accredited four-year colleges or universities in the United States. Genre : Essay Topic: What challenges awaken your conscience? Is it the conflicts in American society? An international crisis? Maybe a difficult choice you face or a hard decision you had to make? Engage us. Enlighten us. Explore the ethics of any problem, question, or issue, whether close to home or in the world at large. We are eager to learn from you. Prize : First Prize $10,000, 2nd Prize $5,000, 3rd Prize $3,000, two Honorable Mentions $1,000 each. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Hooks Institute National Book Award . Genre : Nonfiction book that best furthers understanding of the American Civil Rights Movement and its legacy. Prize : $1000. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Black Caucus of the American Library Association . BCALA presents four awards to an African American writer published in the United States during the previous year: one for adult fiction, one for nonfiction, one for a first novelist and one for poetry. These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement in the presentation of the cultural, historical and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora. Prize : Four $500.00 awards. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to “revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful.” Genre : Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize : $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline : December 31, 2022. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

The W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction honors the best fiction set in a period when the United States was at war. It recognizes the service of American veterans and military personnel and encourages the writing and publishing of outstanding war-related fiction. Genre : Military fiction. Prize : $5000. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Tartts Fiction Award . Restrictions : Open to Americans. Genre : Short story collection. Prize : Winning short story collection will be published by Livingston Press at the University of West Alabama, in simultaneous library binding and trade paper editions. Winning entry will receive $1000, plus their standard royalty contract, which includes 60 copies of the book. Deadline : December 31, 2022.

Like this article? For more articles about the publishing world, useful tips on how to get an agent, agents looking for clients, how to market and promote your work, building your online platform, how to get reviews, self-publishing, as well as publishers accepting manuscripts directly from writers (no agent required) visit Publishing and Other Forms of Insanity .

Written by Erica Verrillo

Helping writers get published and bolstering their flagging spirits at http://publishedtodeath.blogspot.com/

More from Erica Verrillo and Curiosity Never Killed the Writer

83 Calls for Submissions in April 2024 — Paying markets

This april there are more than six dozen calls for submissions. all of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. as….

54 Writing Contests in April 2024 — No entry fees

This april there are more than four dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, cnf, nonfiction, and plays. prizes this….

75 Writing Contests in March 2024 — No entry fees

This march there are more than six dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, cnf, nonfiction, and plays. prizes this….

9 New Agents Seeking Nonfiction, Picture Books, Kidlit, YA, Fantasy, Memoir, Graphic Novels and…

Recommended from medium.

T. J. Brearton

Writers’ Blokke

The Book Publishing Opportunity No One Seems to Talk About

I make a living writing fiction; here’s how i do it..

My Favorite Writing Advice & Inspo

Our favorite writing prompts and inspiration

Stories To Help You Overcome Writer's Block

Best of The Writing Cooperative

Lois Michael

2024 writing contests (up to $500 prizes) with free entries and later submission dates

Write submit and earn.

The Author's Source

10 Writing Contests for April 2024

Here are ten writing contests with april 2024 deadlines that do and do not charge entry fees. contests may have certain restrictions, so….

Hazel Paradise

How I Create Passive Income With No Money

Many ways to start a passive income today.

Emily J. Smith

HARPERCOLLINS BOUGHT MY NOVEL!!!!!

My debut, nothing serious, will be on shelves in feb 2025..

Text to speech

Looking to publish? Meet your dream editor, designer and marketer on Reedsy.

Find the perfect editor for your next book

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Best Writing Contests in 2024

Showing 342 contests that match your search.

The Reedsy Prompts Contest

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

Every Friday, Reedsy sends out five writing prompts. Enter your response within a week for a chance at $250. Winners may also be included in a future issue of Reedsy’s literary magazine, Prompted.

Additional prizes:

$25 credit toward Reedsy editorial services

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: December 31, 2024

Self-Publishing Literary Awards

Black Caucus

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Novel, and Poetry

Through this contest, the BCALA honors the best self-published ebooks by an African American author in the U.S. in both fiction and poetry genres. These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement in the presentation of the cultural, historical and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora. The purpose is to encourage the artistic expression of the African American experience via literature and scholarly research including biographical, historical, and social history treatments by African Americans.

📅 Deadline: February 29, 2024 (Expired)

Britain vs The World: Flash Battle 2024

Genres: Flash Fiction

The Top 5 Flashes from Team Britain and Team World will duke it out for prizes, glory – and points. The higher you rank, the more points you get for your team. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place will get a host of cash prizes. The team with the most points will win additional prizes.

2nd: £50 | 3rd: £25

💰 Entry fee: $6

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024

Craft your masterpiece in Reedsy Studio

Plan, write, edit, and format your book in our free app made for authors.

Learn more about Reedsy Studio .

The TRP Southern Breakthrough Series

Texas Review Press

Genres: Poetry

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: March 01, 2024 (Expired)

Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers

University of Tulsa

Genres: Fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

The Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers honor the work of writers at the beginning of their careers. $500 prizes will be awarded in both the fiction and poetry categories, and the winning manuscripts will appear in the spring issue of Nimrod. Winners will have the chance to work with the Nimrod board of editors to refine and edit their manuscripts before publication.

💰 Entry fee: $12

📅 Deadline: July 15, 2024

The Bath Children's Novel Award

The Bath Novel Awards

Genres: Children's, Fiction, and Young Adult

The Bath Children's Novel Award is a £5,000 international prize for emerging writers of children's fiction. Submit the first 5,000 words plus a one page synopsis of your chapter book or novel for children or young adults, or up to three picture book texts with summaries. Shortlistees receive feedback on their full manuscript from young judges and all listees receive editorial director feedback on their extract and synopsis.

£1,800 course for one longlistee

💰 Entry fee: $38

📅 Deadline: November 30, 2024

Fischer Prize

Telluride Institute

This annual award is open to poets of all ages living in the US. Deadline for submissions is August 31st, 2021.

Attendance at Telluride Literary Arts Festival

💰 Entry fee: $10

📅 Deadline: August 31, 2024

The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books

The Letter Review

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

Free to enter. Seeking 0-5000 word (poetry: 15 pgs) excerpts of unpublished books (Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction), including most self-published and indie-published works. 2-4 Winners (publication of extract is optional). We Shortlist 10-20 writers. Open to writers from anywhere in the world, with no theme or genre restrictions. Judged blind.

Optional Publication of Excerpt, Letter of Recommendation

Book Pipeline Unpublished Contest

Book Pipeline

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, and Young Adult

Launched in 2014, Book Pipeline connects writers worldwide with publishers, editors, agents, and the film industry. Through two submission platforms—Unpublished and Adaptation—the company seeks both new and established authors. For over 22 years, Pipeline has bridged the gap between up-and-coming writers and the industry through a unique, long-term, hands-on facilitation process. The result thus far has been $8 million in scripts sold to studios and networks since 1999.

💰 Entry fee: $45

📅 Deadline: August 20, 2024

Fabula Press Short Story Contest

Fabula Press

Fabula Press’ annual short story competition has two segments – a free section, and a paid section. At least 3 submissions from the free section will be selected for publication in the Fabula Press Anthology and on the Fabula Press website; for paid submissions, at least twelve entries will be included in the anthology on the website. There is no theme for our contests; also, barring a few exceptions, we are flexible about genre

2nd: $250 | 3rd: $100 | Stories selected for publication: $75

📅 Deadline: June 07, 2024

The Berkeley Fiction Review Sudden Fiction Contest

Berkeley Fiction Review

The Berkeley Fiction Review is a UC Berkeley undergraduate, student-run publication. We look for innovative short fiction that plays with form and content, as well as traditionally constructed stories with fresh voices and original ideas. Currently seeking flash fiction submissions of 1000 words or fewer.

2nd: $100 | 3rd: $50 | Honorable mentions: $25 | Publication

📅 Deadline: April 01, 2024 (Expired)

Halloween Horror Contest

Genres: Horror

The spooky season is almost upon us. We're looking for your creepiest horror stories. The ones that make us lay awake in bed at night gnashing our teeth, wondering about the sound coming from under the bed. The story can be a maximum of 5,000 words. There is no minimum.

Two runner-ups: $50

📅 Deadline: November 11, 2022 (Expired)

HG Wells Short Story Competition

HG Wells Competition

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, and Short Story

There are two different competitions in 2024: one for those 21 and under, and one for those over 21. The competition for those 21 and under is free to enter and has a prize of £1,000 for the winning entry. All shortlisted entries will also be published in a quality, professionally published paperback anthology.

Under 21: £1,000 | Over 21: £500

📅 Deadline: July 08, 2024

Solas Awards

Best Travel Writing

Genres: Essay, Non-fiction, and Travel

Extraordinary stories about travel and the human spirit have been the cornerstones of our books since 1993. With the Solas Awards we honor writers whose work inspires others to explore. We’re looking for the best stories about travel and the world. Funny, illuminating, adventurous, uplifting, scary, inspiring, poignant stories that reflect the unique alchemy that occurs when you enter unfamiliar territory and begin to see the world differently as a result. We hope these awards will be a catalyst for those who love to leave home and tell others about it.

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: September 21, 2024

The Moth Poetry Prize

The Moth Poetry Prize is one of the biggest prizes in the world for a single unpublished poem. The prize is open to anyone, as long as the poem is previously unpublished, and each year it attracts thousands of entries from new and established poets from over 50 countries worldwide.

3x runners up: €1,000 | 8x further prizes of €250 | Publication online in Irish Times

💰 Entry fee: $16

📅 Deadline: December 31, 2023 (Expired)

The Christy Award

Genres: Christian, Fantasy, Novel, Novella, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Young Adult

The Christy Award® was established in 1999 to acknowledge the value and impact of the novel of faith in contemporary culture. Since that time, the Christys have been a focal point for the writers and publishers in our community.

💰 Entry fee: $175

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)

Tanka Poetry Contest

FanStory.com Inc.

For this contest you are challenged to write a Tanka poem. Tanka is a form of poetry that often follows a specific syllable count. That count is 5-7-5-7-7. So your first line has five syllables, second has seven, third has five and the last two lines each have seven syllables. Cash prize!

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2022 (Expired)

The Selah Awards

Blue Ridge Mountains Conference

Genres: Christian

The Selah Awards are open to all published authors whose books were published between December 16, 2020 and December 15, 2021 with either traditional or nontraditional publishers.

Judith A. Markowitz Award for Exceptional New LGBTQ Writers

Lambda Literary

Genres: LGBTQ

Lambda Literary has played a pivotal role in nurturing the development of exceptional new LGBTQ writers through the Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices, internships, and writing and performance opportunities. The Judith A. Markowitz Award for Exceptional New LGBTQ Writers recognizes LGBTQ-identified writers whose work demonstrates their strong potential for promising careers.

📅 Deadline: February 16, 2024 (Expired)

Narratively 2023 Memoir Prize

Narratively

Genres: Essay, Humor, Memoir, and Non-fiction

Narratively is currently accepting submissions for their 2023 Memoir Prize. They are looking for revealing and emotional first-person nonfiction narratives from unique and overlooked points of view. The guest judge is New York Times bestselling memoirist Stephanie Land.

$1,000 and publication

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: November 30, 2023 (Expired)

Short Story Competition 2021

Exeter Writers

Exeter Writers runs an annual short story competition. The competition began in 2009 and is very popular, receiving entries from all over the world. The maximum word count is 3,000.

💰 Entry fee: $9

📅 Deadline: February 28, 2021 (Expired)

$1000 for 1000 Words Contest

The Layla Beban Young Authors

Genres: Children's and Short Story

The $1000 for 1000 Words fiction writing contest is open to all students enrolled in grades 6-12. Each entrant may submit a fiction piece consisting of exactly 1,000 words (not including title or author’s name). The fiction piece can be on any topic, as long as it is not vulgar or offensive, does not use inappropriate profanity, and is the original work of the entrant not previously published.

📅 Deadline: February 01, 2024 (Expired)

As Bright as the Moon

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Short Story, and Thriller

Can’t decide between the headstrong alpha or the hunky omega? Us either. We’re seeking stories featuring steamy werewolf romance, perfect for reading under a full moon. Whether you’re Team Jacob Black or Team Alcide Herveaux…we’re all Team Awoooo. Works up to 3,000 words will be considered.

2nd place: $300; 3rd place: $100

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2022 (Expired)

Bridport Short Story Prize

Bridport Arts Centre

Gail Honeyman was shortlisted in our competition and went on to write Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, winning the Costa debut novel award. All the winning and highly commended pieces are entered into the Sunday Times Audible competition, top prize £30,000. UK based writers are entered into the BBC short story competition. That's not all, literary agent A.M. Heath reads all the shortlist and considers representation. Long story short? You are 5,000 words away from success.

£1000 for 2nd, £500 for 3rd

💰 Entry fee: $17

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2024

Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award

Killer Nashville

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Science Fiction, Script Writing, Short Story, and Thriller

The Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award is committed to discovering new writers, as well as superlative books by established authors and, upon discovery, sharing those writers and their works with new readers. There are a large number of both fiction and non-fiction categories you can enter.

💰 Entry fee: $79

📅 Deadline: June 15, 2024

Fairytales & Myths Competition 2024

Write the World

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, and Flash Fiction

Since the very first tale told by the fireside, the idea of mysterious worlds—rife with talking trees, dragons and beasts, and spells of all kinds—has captivated us humans. This month, dear writers, write a myth or fairytale that uses fantasy as a lens to understand the reality of everyday life.

Best entry: $100

Runner up: $50 | Best peer review: $50

📅 Deadline: March 04, 2024 (Expired)

Anthology Flash Fiction Award

Anthology Magazine

Genres: Fiction, Short Story, and Flash Fiction

The Anthology Flash Fiction Competition is open to original and previously unpublished flash fiction on any theme in the English language by writers of any nationality. We are looking for writing that is clever and unique, inspires us, and crafts a compelling story. Max 250 words.

📅 Deadline: September 30, 2024

The Rhys Davies Short Story Competition 2024

Swansea University’s Cultural Institute

The Rhys Davies Short Story Competition recognises the very best unpublished short stories in English in any style and on any subject up to a maximum of 5,000 words by writers in / from Wales. Entrants must have been born in Wales, lived in Wales for 2 years or more, or currently be living in Wales.

Publication in short story anthology | 11x Runners Up: £100 and publication in short story anthology

📅 Deadline: February 15, 2024 (Expired)

The Caterpillar Poetry Prize 2024

The Caterpillar Magazine

The Caterpillar Poetry Prize is an annual prize for an unpublished poem written by an adult for children aged 7–11. Every year since 2015, The Caterpillar Poetry Prize has been awarded to a single poem by a single judge – among them John Hegley, Chrissie Gittins, Roger McGough, Michael Morpurgo & Michael Rosen. The winning poems will be published in the Irish Times online.

€1,000 plus a week at Circle of Misse in France

2nd: €500 | 3rd: €250

First Pages Prize

Genres: Fiction and Non-fiction

First Pages Prize invites you to enter your first 5 pages of a longer work of fiction or creative nonfiction. Prizes in both fiction & creative nonfiction. Open to un-agented writers worldwide, the prize supports emerging writers with cash awards, developmental mentoring, & agent consultation. This year our judge is Edwidge Danticat! Opens March 2024!

Agent Consultation, Developmental Mentorship

📅 Deadline: April 10, 2024 (Expired)

WOW! Women On Writing Quarterly Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

WOW! Women On Writing

Genres: Non-fiction and Essay

Seeking creative nonfiction essays on any topic (1000 words or less) and in any style--from personal essay and memoir to lyric essay and hybrid, and more! The mission of this contest is to reward bravery in real-life storytelling and create an understanding of our world through thoughtful, engaging narratives. Electronic submissions via e-mail only; reprints/previously published okay; simultaneous submissions okay; multiple submissions are okay as long as they are submitted in their own individual e-mail. Open internationally.

2nd: $300 | 3rd: $200 | 7 runner-ups: $25 Amazon Gift Cards

Cranked Anvil Flash Fiction Competition

Cranked Anvil Press

Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction

Our quarterly flash fiction competition is open for entries all year round. The competition is open to any theme or genre, and your story must be a maximum of 500 words (not including the title). You can enter up to two stories in each quarterly competition ($3 to enter one story, $5 for two).

£25, publication online

💰 Entry fee: $3

The Carolyn Readers' Choice Awards

North Texas Romance Writers

Genres: Romance

The Carolyn Readers Choice Award contest is open to all authors of traditional, e-published, and self-published books. Romances featuring characters of all races, creeds, ethnicities, genders, and sexualities or with disabilities or containing spiritual/religious elements are welcome to enter. Please enter the category that best suits your entry over all.

Digital medallion for runners up

💰 Entry fee: $35

Shiny Dime Writing Challenge

Write of Passage

Genres: Non-fiction

The Shiny Dime is a concept we teach to help people stand out online, and we’ve distilled it into a simple writing challenge. Challenge registrants will participate in a 10 week writing challenge where we request participants to publish once per week. We will choose among the participants who have the most impactful writing and who are the most consistent.

Free access to our 5 week writing bootcamp (a $4000 dollar value)

📅 Deadline: February 18, 2024 (Expired)

The Betty Award

Genres: Children's

As one of the few competitions for elementary and middle school students, The Betty Award grants cash prizes for written pieces below 1,000 words. The Betty Award has both a Spring & Fall contest.

📅 Deadline: May 04, 2024

Discover the finest writing contests of 2024 for fiction and non-fiction authors — including short story competitions, essay writing competitions, poetry contests, and many more. Updated weekly, these contests are vetted by Reedsy to weed out the scammers and time-wasters. If you’re looking to stick to free writing contests, simply use our filters as you browse.

Why you should submit to writing contests

Submitting to poetry competitions and free writing contests in 2024 is absolutely worth your while as an aspiring author: just as your qualifications matter when you apply for a new job, a writing portfolio that boasts published works and award-winning pieces is a great way to give your writing career a boost. And not to mention the bonus of cash prizes!

That being said, we understand that taking part in writing contests can be tough for emerging writers. First, there’s the same affliction all writers face: lack of time or inspiration. Entering writing contests is a time commitment, and many people decide to forego this endeavor in order to work on their larger projects instead — like a full-length book. Second, for many writers, the chance of rejection is enough to steer them clear of writing contests. 

But we’re here to tell you that two of the great benefits of entering writing contests happen to be the same as those two reasons to avoid them.

When it comes to the time commitment: yes, you will need to expend time and effort in order to submit a quality piece of writing to competitions. That being said, having a hard deadline to meet is a great motivator for developing a solid writing routine.

Think of entering contests as a training session to become a writer who will need to meet deadlines in order to have a successful career. If there’s a contest you have your eye on, and the deadline is in one month, sit down and realistically plan how many words you’ll need to write per day in order to meet that due date — and don’t forget to also factor in the time you’ll need to edit your story!

For tips on setting up a realistic writing plan, check out this free, ten-day course: How to Build a Rock-Solid Writing Routine.

In regards to the fear of rejection, the truth is that any writer aspiring to become a published author needs to develop relatively thick skin. If one of your goals is to have a book traditionally published, you will absolutely need to learn how to deal with rejection, as traditional book deals are notoriously hard to score. If you’re an indie author, you will need to adopt the hardy determination required to slowly build up a readership.

The good news is that there’s a fairly simple trick for learning to deal with rejection: use it as a chance to explore how you might be able to improve your writing.

In an ideal world, each rejection from a publisher or contest would come with a detailed letter, offering construction feedback and pointing out specific tips for improvement. And while this is sometimes the case, it’s the exception and not the rule.

Still, you can use the writing contests you don’t win as a chance to provide yourself with this feedback. Take a look at the winning and shortlisted stories and highlight their strong suits: do they have fully realized characters, a knack for showing instead of telling, a well-developed but subtly conveyed theme, a particularly satisfying denouement?

The idea isn’t to replicate what makes those stories tick in your own writing. But most examples of excellent writing share a number of basic craft principles. Try and see if there are ways for you to translate those stories’ strong points into your own unique writing.

Finally, there are the more obvious benefits of entering writing contests: prize and publication. Not to mention the potential to build up your readership, connect with editors, and gain exposure.

Resources to help you win writing competitions in 2024

Every writing contest has its own set of submission rules. Whether those rules are dense or sparing, ensure that you follow them to a T. Disregarding the guidelines will not sway the judges’ opinion in your favor — and might disqualify you from the contest altogether. 

Aside from ensuring you follow the rules, here are a few resources that will help you perfect your submissions.

Free online courses

On Writing:

How to Craft a Killer Short Story

The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction

How to Write a Novel

Understanding Point of View

Developing Characters That Your Readers Will Love

Writing Dialogue That Develops Plot and Character

Stop Procrastinating! Build a Solid Writing Routine

On Editing:

Story Editing for Authors

How to Self-Edit Like a Pro

Novel Revision: Practical Tips for Rewrites

How to Write a Short Story in 7 Steps

How to Write a Novel in 15 Steps

Literary Devices and Terms — 35+ Definitions With Examples

10 Essential Fiction Writing Tips to Improve Your Craft

How to Write Dialogue: 8 Simple Rules and Exercises

8 Character Development Exercises to Help You Nail Your Character

Bonus resources

200+ Short Story Ideas

600+ Writing Prompts to Inspire You

100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors

Story Title Generator

Pen Name Generator

Character Name Generator

After you submit to a writing competition in 2024

It’s exciting to send a piece of writing off to a contest. However, once the initial excitement wears off, you may be left waiting for a while. Some writing contests will contact all entrants after the judging period — whether or not they’ve won. Other writing competitions will only contact the winners. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind after you submit:

Many writing competitions don’t have time to respond to each entrant with feedback on their story. However, it never hurts to ask! Feel free to politely reach out requesting feedback — but wait until after the selection period is over.

If you’ve submitted the same work to more than one writing competition or literary magazine, remember to withdraw your submission if it ends up winning elsewhere.

After you send a submission, don’t follow it up with a rewritten or revised version. Instead, ensure that your first version is thoroughly proofread and edited. If not, wait until the next edition of the contest or submit the revised version to other writing contests.

Join a community of over 1 million authors

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book.

Save your shortlist

Enter your email address to save your shortlist so that you don't lose it!

By continuing, you will also receive Reedsy's weekly publishing tips and access to our free webinars.

We sent over your shortlist. Thank you for using Reedsy's Writing Contest Directory, happy publishing! 🙌

Join our short story competition

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

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

Ebooks, Publishing, and Everything in Between

• Downloads & Pricing
• Advertising

2022 Writing Contests – When, How and Why to Enter

• on Nov 01, 2021
• in Writing Tips
• Last update: January 3rd, 2024

Note: Be sure to check out 2024 writing contests !

Who doesn’t love a good writing contest? The thrill of winning is always incomparable! Nothing pumps up a writer’s adrenaline and makes him up his game like competing with other greatest writers. Whether you have a passion for horror, science fiction, or even tragedy, proving yourself amongst your peers will help you get ahead in the writing field.

If you’re up for the challenge, we’ve gathered some of the best writing contests happening in 2022 to help you find the right one for you.

The 2021 Exeter Novel Prize

Eligibility & Restrictions

To apply, submit a 10,000 word novel in English. The novel can’t have been published by a traditional publishing house. Anyone above 18 can enter. All genres excluding children’s, but including Young Adult and New Adult, are acceptable.

Mississippi Review Contest

The contest is open to all writers in English except current or former students or employees of The University of Southern Mississippi. Fiction and non-fiction entries should be 1000-8000 words; poetry entries should be three to five poems totaling ten pages or less.

The Hunger Winter Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. You may submit up to 3 poems; please include them all in the same file. Multiple submissions are allowed with a separate entry fee for each submission.

The Tony Hillerman Prize For Best First Mystery Set In the Southwest

Anyone above 18 and is a resident of one of the US, the District of Columbia or Canada can enter. Entries must be unpublished, publication on an entrant’s website of a single one-chapter excerpt from a work is eligible. The Manuscript must be written in English and must be approximately 60,000 words or 220 pages. The theme is murder or another serious crime and should focus on the solving of the crime(s) rather than the details of such crime(s).

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

Teens in grades 7–12 (ages 13 and up) can apply. Critical essay: 500-3,000 words. Dramatic Script: 500-3,000 word. Flash Fiction: 1,000 words. Humor: 500-3,000 words. Journalism: 500-3,000 words. Novel Writing: Up to 3,000 words. Personal Essay & Memoir: 500-3,000 words. Poetry: 20–200 lines. Science Fiction & Fantasy: 500-3,000 words. Short Story: 500-3,000 words. Deadlines vary between December 2021 and January 2022, depending on your region.

Mississippi Review Prize

Submit three to five poems totaling up to 10 pages or a short story or essay of 1,000 to 8,000 words,

NCH Essay Competition

The NCH London Essay Competition is open to students who are currently in their penultimate (second to last) year of secondary education (Year 12 in England) and who are interested in studying humanities or social sciences at university. Pupils can submit up to 1,500 words, choosing from a range of set essay titles that span a broad range of topics including humanities, philosophy, social issues, the law and creative writing.

Stacy Doris Memorial Poetry Award

Anyone can enter. Minimum 3 pages; maximum 10 pages. You can only submit one entry. Submission must be previously unpublished material. Students currently enrolled at San Francisco State University are ineligible.

James Knudsen Prize for Fiction

Anyone can enter. Submissions must be original, previously unpublished work of fiction, no longer than 7500 words. UNO students and alumni are ineligible. All current and former Bayou staff, previous contest winners, and current or former students of the judge are ineligible to submit.

Kay Murphy Prize for Poetry

Anyone can enter. Submissions must be original, previously unpublished poetry. You may enter up to three poems per entry. UNO students and alumni are ineligible to submit. Previous contest winners, along with current or former students of the judge are also ineligible to submit.

Korean Spirit and Culture

Korean Spirit and Culture Promotion Project is hosting its first National Essay Contest in the United Kingdom. The Essay Contest is open to students in two groups: Group A (Years 6 – 9) and Group B (Years 10-13). Choose from one of two topics based on the book ‘Chung Hyo Ye’.

North Carolina Writers’ Network

Submit a short story or essay of up to 3,000 words

San José State University Steinbeck Fellowships in Creative Writing

Anyone can enter. Residency in the San Francisco Bay Area is required during the academic year. Submit a writing sample up to 25, a project proposal for work to be written, a résumé, and three letters of recommendation.

Fan Story 80 Word Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. The submitted work must be between 78 – 82 words.

Gemini Magazine Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Entries Must Be Unpublished, Poems on Personal Blogs Are Eligible,

Gemini Magazine Poetry Open

Submit up to three poems of any length with an $8 entry fee

Fan Story 20 Syllable Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem that has exactly 20 syllables. Any format.

2022 Book Prize (unleash press)

All submissions must be in English. The minimum length of a manuscript is 30,000 words. Genres accepted include fiction and creative nonfiction. Author must have full rights to reprint entries

The Henshaw Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Entries must be fictional short stories of up to 2000 words on any theme. All entries must be the original work of the author, must not have been published before the date of submission.

National Youth Foundation

Each entry must incorporate the theme of Local Heroines. From the time of submission, entries become the property of the National Youth Foundation and will not be returned. All students must be in grades K to 8 and live in the United States. Each book must be between 20 and 30 pages. The cover, dedication and back pages do not count towards this number

Nova Writes Competition

Entry must be a work of short fiction or an excerpt from a longer work of fiction (up to a maximum of 3,000 words) and may be in any genre (historical fiction, literary fiction, mystery, romance, speculative fiction, or otherwise). You must be 16 years of age or older.

Fan Story 3-6-9 Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. This poem has three stanzas. The subject can be anything.

Song Writing Competition 2022

Bethesda essay contest.

Residents of Montgomery County, MD and Upper NW Washington, D.C. (20015 and 20016 ZIP codes) are eligible. The contest will take entries in two categories: High School (grades 9-12) and Adult (ages 18+). Essays must be limited to 500 words or less about a topic of the writer’s choosing. Only one entry per person. Stories must be limited to 4,000 words or less.

The Mogford Prize for Food and Drink Writing

Anyone above 18 can enter. The English short story should have a maximum of 2,500 words. Entries must never have been published, self-published, broadcast or published on any website, blog or online forum. Entries must be the sole work of the entrant.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

Any United States high school students in grades 9-12 may apply. Describe and analyze an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917. Length: 1,000 words max with a minimum of 700. Past winners and finalists, employees of John Hancock Financial Services and members of their families are not eligible to participate.

Magma Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. Poems may be on any subject, and must be in English and your own original work. They must not have been published, self-published or accepted for publication in print or online, broadcast, or have won or been placed in another competition at any time. Length: 11–50 lines.

The Royal Society of Literature Encore Award

The Award is open for any published second novel, which must be a full-length work of fiction. The writer must have been resident in the United Kingdom (UK) or the Republic of Ireland (RoI) for the past three years. Novellas or children’s books are ineligible. Books published with vanity publishers are not eligible.

Law Day Contest

Writing – Grades 1st through 12th: Students will respond to a prompt based on their grade level provided below or may submit an essay based on a prompt relating to the Law Day theme. Each prompt provided has been tailored to align with the Oklahoma State Department of Education social studies standards. Poetry and creative writing entries will also be accepted as part of the writing contest. There is no word-count minimum or maximum requirement.

Rattle Chapbook Prize

Anyone can enter. Each poet may submit 15–30 pages of poems in English only (no translations).Individual poems may be previously published in any format, but the manuscript as a whole must be unpublished as a collection.

Driftwood Press Short Story Contest

Anyone can enter. The entry should be between 1,000-5,000 words. The work must not have been previously published. Submit works written in English only, no translations.

Driftwood Press Poem Contest

Submitters may send up to five poems in a single document for consideration. Each poem must not exceed sixty lines. Prose poetry, experimental poetry, and poetry with a visual element are all welcome. Any submissions should be written primarily in English.

Rose Post Creative non-fiction Contest

The competition is open to any writer who is a legal resident of North Carolina or a member of the North Carolina Writers’ Network. Theme: Lasting non-fiction that is outside the realm of conventional journalism and has relevance to North Carolinians. Subjects may include traditional categories such as reviews, travel articles, profiles or interviews, place/history pieces, or culture criticism. Each entry must be an original and previously unpublished manuscript of no more than 2,000 words.

William Matthews Poetry Prize

Anyone can enter. Submit 3 poems in a single file, any style, any subject, any length. Previously published work and translations are not eligible. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but notify us immediately if a poem is accepted for publication elsewhere.

Desert Writers Award

Anyone can enter. Length: no more than 10 pages, double spaced with 1-inch margins. You may submit published, unpublished, or work in progress but it must be an original work.

Heron Tree Volume 8

Anyone can enter. Poems that have previously appeared online (temporarily or permanently, on your own or a third-party site) should not be submitted, nor should work that has already been published electronically or in print. Simultaneous submissions are welcome with timely notification of acceptance elsewhere.

Storytellers of Tomorrow

we’re inviting all high-school-age students to submit unpublished, original English-language stories of up to 2,000 words in length for the 7th Annual “Storytellers of Tomorrow” Contest. The sole criterion for earning prizes in this contest is simply overall quality, meaning that well-edited, engaging, and evocative stories have the best chance of winning over the judges.

Border Crossing Contest

Fiction: No longer than 5000 words, with title and page number on each page after the first. NonFiction: No longer than 5000 words, with title and page number on each page after the first. Poetry: submit 3-5 poems in one file up to 10 pages; do not submit poems separately. Please note that you may only submit one file per reading period; multiple submissions will not be considered.

Novella-in-Flash Award

Anyone above 16 can enter. Entries can be on any theme or subject but must be original, unpublished previously, not have won a prize, and written in English between 6,000 and 18,000 words long.

Emma Howell Rising Poet Prize

Poets 35 or younger who have not previously published a book-length poetry manuscript are eligible. Poets who have previously published chapbooks are welcome to enter. Submissions must be original, book-length poetry manuscripts (minimum of 48 pages) written in English. There is no maximum page count. Translations are not accepted. One manuscript per submission.

The Bournemouth Writing Prize

Anyone above 16 can enter. Short Story length: Up to 3000 words maximum. It can be about any topic and in any style. Poetry length: Up to 42 lines. We are looking for poetry that is fresh and unexpected. All entries should be in English and be accompanied by a short (75 word) biography of the author and postal address. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been previously published, or broadcast or won a prize in another writing competition.

great weather

One prose/creative nonfiction piece, two if both under 500 words. Maximum word count: 2,500. Please include the word count on the first page.

Calibre Essay Prize

Anyone can enter except ABR staff and board members. Essay length: 2,000 to 5,000 words, written in English. Exclusivity is essential for longlisted essays.

Past Search Prize for Non-Fiction

Anyone can enter. Maximum 1,000 ~ 1,500 words.

North American Book Award

Anyone can enter. The book of poetry submitted must be the work of a single author, at least 64 pages long, and published in 2020 by an established press. Manuscripts, videos, CDs, chapbooks, and self-published books are not eligible, nor are books that have won awards, including a pre-publication award by the publishing press. It is expected that the book will contain both new and previously published poems.

Poetry Society of Virginia 2022 Contest

Anyone can enter. All entries must be in English, typed, unpublished, origi­nal, and not scheduled for publication before May, 2020. All entries not in compliance with category specifications will be disqualified.

Stage It! 10-Minute Plays Competition

Anyone can enter. Plays should be in generally-accepted script format and in English. Length: 10 pages or a 10 minutes read.

DISQUIET Prize

Anyone above 18 can enter. Only previously unpublished work in English can be submitted by authors who have not yet published more than one book. For the Novel/short story category: One short story or novel excerpt, maximum 25 (double-spaced) pages per entry. For the Poem category: No more than SIX poems per entry, up to 10 pages total and for the Nonfiction category: One piece of non-fiction, maximum 25 (double-spaced) pages per entry.

8th Ó Bhéal Five Words International Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. Poems cannot exceed 50 lines in length (including line breaks), and must include all five words listed during this week. A modicum of poetic license is acceptable. Poems should be newly written, during the relevant 7-day period.

Fan Story Nonet Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. It has to be a nonet, but it can be on any subject and rhyming is optional.

Horror Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Put your readers on edge or terrorize them.

Manchester Poetry Prize

The Competition is open internationally to anyone aged 16 or over who is not excluded by these Rules. There is no upper age limit for entry. Entrants may submit as many entries as they wish, but each submission must be submitted as a separate entry with payment of a separate entry fee.

Joe Gouveia Outermost Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Send up to 5 of your best unpublished poems, any style or subject matter, no more than 7 pages in total.

Manchester Fiction Prize

The Competition is open internationally to anyone aged 16 or over who is not excluded by these Rules. There is no upper age limit for entry, a portfolio comprising a minimum of three and a maximum of five poems. There is no minimum or maximum line limit for each individual poem, but the overall maximum length of the poems combined must not exceed 120 lines.

Fan Story Share A Story In A Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. In this contest you are challenged to write a poem that tells a story and also rhymes.

First Chapter Competition

Anyone can enter. International entries are welcome but first chapters must be written in English and can be up to 3,500 words (no minimum word count) and on any theme and subject (except children’s fiction). The novel should be unpublished and not have been accepted by a publisher.

Parracombe Prize 2022

To enter, simply submit a short story of no more than 2,022 words. Entries must be in English, your own original work, must not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere.

3rd Annual Short Short Story Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a short short story no longer than 100 words. The contest is open to prose, any genre. Topics: ants, bowling, 1940s, water.

The Kent and Sussex Poetry Society Open Competition

Anyone can enter. Poems must be in English, unpublished, not accepted for publication, and must be your original work. They must be no longer than 40 lines.

Fish Publishing Short Memoir Prize

Anyone can enter. The entries can’t have been previously published. Maximum number of words is 4,000 in English.

GCWA Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Youth category: 11-17; adult category: above 18. Your entry must be original, in English, unpublished, and unproduced, not accepted by any other publisher or producer before April 1, 2022. Fiction/non-fiction/children’s —1500 words maximum. Poetry – 40 lines maximum.

Lancashire Authors’ Association Open Competition

Anyone 16 or above can enter. The story must be exactly 100 words. Entries must be original, unpublished work which is not currently submitted for publication or entered into any other competition or award.

The Big Moose Prize

Anyone can enter. The Big Moose Prize is open to traditional unpublished novels as well as novels-in-stories, novels-in-poems, and other hybrid forms that contain within them the spirit of a novel. Manuscripts should be 90-1,000 pages in length.

The Brucedale Press Annual Acrostic Story Contest

Anyone under 18 can enter. Stories entered must be original, unpublished work created by the entrant, not previously entered in this contest. Stories may not be longer than 26 sentences. The first sentence must begin with “Because I can…”. Any subject or theme is acceptable, provided there is no profanity, obscenity, ageism, racism or sexism.

The BookLife Prize

Anyone can enter. Both unpublished or self-published books in the English language are eligible for the BookLife Prize. Entries must contain 40,000 to 100,000 words.

Clash of the Query Letters

One page—maximum 500 words, Only original, unpublished, unrepresented work may be submitted, Word documents & PDFs accepted, The winning submissions will be published on the Chopping Blog, All entrants will be notified of winners and shortlist by email.

The Fiction Desk

We are able to consider stories that are between 1,000 and 20,000 words in length; please do not send anything longer or shorter than this. Most of the stories we publish are between about 2,000 and 7,000 words.

Arts & Letters

Send only one submission per genre at any one time. (In other words, submitting a short story and an essay at the same time is fine, but please wait to hear from us before submitting another story.), All submissions must be typed and all prose double-spaced.

The Page Prize

Fiction: Manuscripts should be double-spaced. Please use 1″ margins and include page numbers. Maximum length is about 5000 words. NonFiction: Manuscripts should be typed and double-spaced. Please use 1″ margins and include page numbers. Manuscripts should be no more than about 5,000 words. Poetry: A maximum of three poems may be submitted.

The Danuta Gleed Literary Award

All entries must be Canadian-authored titles published in English between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020 and available through bookstores and libraries. Submission must be a first collection/first edition of short fiction, no co-authored entries, no posthumously published works, electronically published works not eligible, submission must be made by a publisher. Translations from other languages into English are eligible if all other criteria are met.

Cambridge Autumn Festival Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. The word limit is 1500 words.The theme for this year’s competition is “Lockdown”.

Cúirt New Writing Prize 2022

Poetry entries must consist of up to three poems under 50 lines each. Short stories should be no longer than 2,000 words. Entry costs €10 in total which covers one story or up to three poems. Entries are welcome in English and Irish. An Irish language adviser will be approached to assess entries in the Irish language. The story or poems submitted should not have been accepted for publication elsewhere.

Bluefire 1000-Word Short Story Contest

Anyone in school grades 6-12 can enter. Entries must be original and not previously published. Length: exactly 1000 words. Previous grand prize winners are not eligible to submit in the same grade category (6-8, or 9-12) in which they have won.

EngineerGirl Essay Contest

Anyone in school (grades 3-12) can enter. Submit a piece of writing that salutes engineering’s role in meeting and defeating the challenges presented by COVID-19. Check guidlines for your category. Grades 3-5: 600 words limit. Grades 6-8: 650 words limit. High school: 700 words limit.

St. Gallen Symposium Esay Competition

Anyone enrolled in a graduate or postgraduate programme (master level or higher) and born in 1992 or later can enter. Essay should be in English and length should be max. 2,100 words. The essay must be written exclusively for this contest.

Arizona Mystery Writers Mary Ann Hutchison Memorial Story Contest for Youths

Writers from 9-16 years of age. Submission must be up to 2500 words (about 10 double-spaced pages).

Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award

Anyone can enter. Submit a short story of no more than 8,000 words, that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration.

Blinkpot Flash Fiction Awards

Anyone above 18 can enter. The entry must be in English and must have been written by the person making the submission. Entries must not have been previously published, broadcast or won a prize. Entries can be on any theme or subject. Maximum entry length is 100 words and minimum length 80.

Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize

Graywolf awards the Nonfiction Prize to a previously unpublished, full-length work of outstanding literary nonfiction by a writer who is not yet established in the genre. The Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize seeks to acknowledge—and honor—the great traditions of literary nonfiction. Whether grounded in observation, autobiography, or research, much of the most beautiful, daring, and original writing over the past few decades can be categorized as nonfiction.

EngineerGirl Writing Contest

You should submit an informative essay about the role of engineering in meeting one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals. All entries are limited to 650 words. High school students are also required to submit a reference list with their essay. A reference list is optional for middle and elementary school students. This list does not count toward the word limit.

Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards

Current high school seniors at a public high school in the United States graduating Spring of 2022, 21 years of age and under, Plan to enroll in an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or approved vocational-technical school Fall 2022, ubmit one original literary composition in English in one of the following genres of poetry, spoken word, fiction/drama or personal essay/memoir. Only the first 1000 applications will be accepted.

Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition

Stories must be original unpublished fiction, typed and double-spaced, and may not exceed 3,500 words in length. There are no theme or genre restrictions. Copyright remains the property of the author.

1000 Words Contest

open to all students enrolled in grades 6-12. Each entrant may submit a fiction piece consisting of exactly 1,000 words (not including title or author’s name). The fiction piece can be on any topic, as long as it is not vulgar or offensive, does not use inappropriate profanity, and is the original work of the entrant not previously published.

The Southampton Review

Fiction: We accept short stories and novel excerpts.5,000 words max. Flash Fiction is welcome!, NonFiction: We accept creative nonfiction, memoir, personal essay, traditional essay, and hybrid forms. 5,000 words max. Poetry: 5 poems max per submission.

Ottawa Travel Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Eligible entries include items in English or in French that have appeared in magazines, newspapers, or online media in 2021 that highlight Ottawa as a travel destination.

Accenti Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Submissions for original and unpublished English prose texts only. Maximum length: 2000 words. No poetry, plays, reviews, and scholarly essays. No footnotes and endnotes. No pseudonyms. Submissions can be an English translation of the author’s unpublished original work in another language.

Adamah Media writers’ competition

This competition is open to young adults, aged between 18 and 28. The writers’ competition is open to articles in English submitted by applicants globally and from all nationalities. All images used within any entry should be credited in the image description, otherwise these images will not be used and alternatives will be found for publication. word limit: 1000-1500 words

Fan Story 2-4-2 Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a 2-4-2 syllable poem. The subject can be anything.

The National Federation of Press Women’s Communications Contest for High School Students

All high school students in the US can enter. All 2022 contest entries must have been published, e-published, broadcast, or issued between February 1, 2021, and January 31, 2022. Entries must be produced by a current high school student or a recently graduated student who produced the work in their senior year after February 1, 2021.

The National Federation of Press Women’s Communications Contest for Professionals

The NFPW Communications contest is open to anyone regardless of sex, professional status or location. College students do not have to be 18 to enter any of the categories in the Collegiate Division. High school students may enter the professional contest if they are acting in a professional capacity. Entrants must enter the contest into their home state if that state is sponsoring a contest. Entrants who reside in a state without a contest must enter the at-large contest. Entries in the at-large contest may be regionally divided depending upon entries. All work must have been published or broadcast between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021, to be eligible for entry.

Next Generation Indie Book Awards

The 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Awards is open to all indie book authors and publishers who have a book, a manuscript, or a galley proof written in English and published in 2020, 2021 or 2022 or with a 2020, 2021 or 2022 copyright date.

Writers’ & Artists’ Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Submit a short story (for adults) of no more than 2,000 words.

The Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize

The competition is for novel manuscripts in any genre by unpublished women writer residents in the UK and Ireland. Literary and genre fiction are equally welcomed, and novels for children and young adults may be entered as long as they are primarily word-based. Picture books are not accepted. To enter, send the first 30 to 50 pages and a synopsis between three and five pages.

Scissortail Creative Writing Festival

All Oklahoma high school students (9th – 12th grade) are eligible. Poetry (up to 100 lines) or Short Fiction (up to 6,000 words) is acceptable. Limit 5 poems and 1 short fiction piece per student. All entries must be the original work of the student. All entries must be neatly typed; please double-space fiction entries.

Create The Future Writing Competition

Individual entrants can enter one submission. Poetry (up to 40 lines), Short stories (up to 2,000 words), All other creative prose (up to 2,000 words), Entries must not have been published (including self-published, published on a website, broadcast or featured amongst the winners in another competition). The competition is open to all writers over the age of 18, The Create the Future competition is open worldwide and applicants from non-English-speaking countries are warmly welcomed.

Adventures in Fiction Spotlight First Novel Award

Anyone can enter. To enter, submit the first page of your novel and a one-page synopsis. The winner should be prepared to submit the manuscript of their novel in hard copy (12pt, double-spaced, single side of the paper only) to Adventures in Fiction by the beginning of April. Prize: A Stage One Mentoring package for a novel of up to 550 pages/170,000 words including a full manuscript appraisal, a development strategy and two consultations and a dedicated page on the Adventures in Fiction website including a profile of you and your novel.

IndieReader Discovery Awards

Only books that have been either self-published or published by an independent publisher and have an ISBN or ASN can enter.

Achievement Awards in Writing

All 11th grade students in the current academic school year are eligible to be nominated by their school’s English department. Schools in the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands and American Schools Abroad are eligible. Nominating schools must be US accredited. Participating students submit two types of writing: themed writing (AWA prompt) and best writing. 2022 prompt: My Community. Writing options include poetry, short story, personal narrative, essay, or graphic storytelling. Themed Writing: max 4 pages. Best Witing: max 6 pages.

Promising Young Writers Program

All 8th grade students in the current academic school year are eligible to be nominated by their school’s English department. Schools in the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands and American Schools Abroad are eligible to nominate juniors. Nominating schools must be US accredited. Participating students submit two types of writing: themed writing (AWA prompt) and best writing. 2022 prompt: Change; Amidst isolation in 2020. You may produce any genre, or kind, of writing. Themed Writing: max 4 pages. Best Witing: max 6 pages.

Ambroggio Prize

Any US citizen or resident for the ten-year period prior to the submission deadline can enter. Poets are not eligible to apply if they have studied with the judge in full-time accredited courses within the last three years The manuscript must be originally written in Spanish and accompanied by a translation in English. Poets may translate their own work or collaborate with a translator who may or may not be a poet. The poet and translator must share the $1,000 prize. Poems may have been previously published in periodicals or chapbooks, but the collection must not have been previously published, including self-publications and e-books. The original manuscript in Spanish must contain original poetry by one poet and must be between 48 and 100 pages, typed single-spaced, unless the poems are meant to be presented using nonstandard spacing.

Morton and McCarthy Prizes

Open to any short fiction writer in English. Employees and board members of Sarabande Books, Inc. are not eligible. Submissions may include a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a short novel. Works that have previously appeared in magazines or in anthologies may be included.

Apprentice Writer

Only high school students can enter. You can submit poetry, chorepoetry, spoken word submissions, graphic fiction and non-fiction, and prose.

New Welsh Writing Awards

Writers from the UK and Ireland as well as those who have been educated in Wales for over six months can enter. Entries should be prose with a Welsh theme or setting and should be an unpublished book (between 5,000 and 30,000 words) in English. Entries this year may vary across the categories, from short form Welsh-themed- or Welsh-set non-fiction to a novella or short story collection set in Wales or with a Welsh theme.

Robert Watson Literary Prize

Anyone who is an active Greensboro Review subscriber can enter. Entries must be previously unpublished. No simultaneous submissions. Length restrictions: no more than 7,500 words or 25 pages for fiction; up to 500 words for flash fiction; up to 10 pages for poetry.

Guernsey Literary Festival 2022

Your poem could be on show in 2022. The Guernsey Literary Festival, together with Guernsey Arts and Guernsey Post, presents a competition that could deliver your work to thousands of readers. Winning entries are selected in two phases: 21 poems will be chosen, and 9 of these will take part in a second, Entries must be no longer than 14 lines and must fit on a single A4 page.

Harold Morton Landon Translation Award

resident of the United States for the ten-year period prior to the submission deadline, Only books published in the United States during 2021 are eligible for the 2022 prize. Books must be published in a standard edition (48 pages or more). Self-published books will not be considered.

Short Prose Competition

Original, unpublished fiction or nonfiction up to 2,500 words in the English language. Writers who have had no more than one book published (traditionally or self-published) in any genre or language and who are not currently under contract for a second book. Writers not published in book format are also eligible. Writers must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.

SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest

All 9-12 high school students in the US can apply. The essay should be 300-500 words of original work. Entrants must write about: “Why must journalists strive to improve diversity and representation in both their coverage and in their newsrooms, and how might this happen?”

Willow Run Poetry Book Award

Anyone can enter. Must be an unpublished English book length collection of poetry of 75 to 100 pages.

This Sentence Starts The Story

Anyone can enter. Write a story that starts with this sentence: It’s happening tonight. You have the option to put it in quotes (for dialogue) and to change the punctuation at the end for proper grammar.

Writing for Children Competition 2022

Waxing & waning tennessee tempest edition.

Anyone can enter. Poetry: 1-5 poems, up to 3,000 words. Fiction / creative non-fiction: 100-5,000 words (if any longer, it should be good enough to merit the space it will take up).

Waxing & Waning Screenplay Contest

Anyone can enter. Screenplays or plays can be up to 25 pages (may be a part of a whole).

The George Floyd Short Story Competition

All genres/styles are accepted. Word count shouldn’t exceed 5000 words. This year’s theme is climate change.

The Chaucer Tales Writing Competition

The competition is open to all students of school age including not only those in schools and college communities (ages 5-18), but also students who are home educated and in any other young people’s community organisations. The maximum word count is 500 words in English. The special theme of the competition this year is Be Careful What You Wish For!

Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition

Anyone can enter. The international competition is open to all – both published and unpublished authors from all over the world – and is for short stories of up to 3,500 words. The story cannot have been previously published anywhere, or shortlisted for this competition.

The Exeter Writers Short Story Competition

The competition is open to anyone. Writing is ok in any genre except children stories. Stories must not have been previously published nor won a prize in any other competition. Previous prize-winning stories are not eligible for re-entry. Length: 3,000 words max.

Flash 500 Short Stories competition

Anyone can enter. Stories should range between 1,000 and 3,000 words, with strong characters, a well-crafted plot and realistic dialogue (where used).

Fish Publishing Flash Fiction Prize

Anyone can enter. Maximum number of words is 300 and it must be in English. The winning stories must be available for the Fish Anthology and, therefore, must not have been published previously. Fish will hold publishing rights for one year only after publication.

Reflex Fiction Flash Fiction Competition

Anyone above 16 can enter. Entries must be in Enflish and must be the work of the entrant and must not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere in print or online including blogs or personal websites. Entries must be fiction but can be on any subject, and written in any style or form. No fan fiction or use of copyrighted material, characters, song lyrics etc.

Southword Poetry Prize

Anyone can enter. All poems must be previously unpublished. Works of translation where the original author is still in copyright will require the bios of both the original author and the translator. There is a suggested limit of 40 lines per poem.

The annual Lancaster Writing Award

All students in year 12-13 can enter. Categories: criticism, fiction, poetry, script and screen writing. Students may enter in more than one category and write in any style they wish. The word limit for criticism and fiction is 1500 words.The limit for poems is 25 lines. The limit for screenplays is 8 pages.

Scottish Arts Trust Short Story Competition

Anyone above 16 can enter. Length: 2,000 words or fewer. The entry should not have been previously published, online or in print. Short stories entered for the competition may be on any topic. Stories do not have to be set in Scotland or on Scottish themes but they must be in English.

The Isobel Lodge Award

Anyone above 16, is unpublished, and a resident of Scotland or studying in Scotland can enter. Entry can be published online or in print without compensation can qualify for the Isobel Lodge Award. Writers also qualify if they have self-published a work of fiction. Length: 2,000 words or fewer. The story should not have been previously published, online or in print. Stories do not have to be set in Scotland or on Scottish themes but they must be in English.

Nick Blatchford Occasional Verse Contest

Any Canadian (citizen or resident) can enter. Topic: poems written in response to an existing occasion, personal or public, or poems that make an occasion of something ordinary or by virtue of the poet’s attention. No word limit, must be unpublished nor accepted for publication elsewhere.

Minds Shine Bright’s first annual competition

Short stories: 5000 words/Flash Fiction: 1000 words /Poetry: 240 lines/Scripts: 90 pages, Each submission must be original, unpublished fiction written by the submitting author. Each submission must be entered into one of four categories including: poetry, micro/flash fiction, short stories or script writing.

Blue Mesa Review

accepts previously unpublished work in Fiction (up to 6,000 words), Nonfiction (up to 6,000 words), Poetry (up to 3 poems).

The Debut Dagger Award

the opening of a crime novel not exceeding 3,000 words and a synopsis of up to 1,500 words. You do not need to have completed the novel in order to enter. You must never have had a traditional publishing contract for any work of fiction over 20,000 words.

Self-Publishing Literary Awards

This contest is free and open to all self-published authors who meet the requirements. All eBooks submitted to the contest must be: In the poetry or fiction genres, A PDF or an ePUB file, In the English language, An original work that you own the rights to, Written by an African American author born in the U.S.

Red Hen Press Women’s Prose Prize

25,000 word minimum, 80,000 word maximum. Entries will be accepted via Submittable only. The award is open to all women writers with the following exceptions: Authors who have had a full-length work published by Red Hen Press, or a full-length work currently under consideration by Red Hen Press, Employees, interns, or contractors of Red Hen Press, Relatives of employees or members of the executive board of directors

Gutsy Great Novelist Chapter One Prize

The Gutsy Great Novelist Chapter One Prize is awarded for an outstanding first chapter of an unpublished novel. The prize is open internationally to anyone over 18 writing a novel in English in any genre for adult or YA readers.

Deep Wild 2021 Undergraduate Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The entry should be a single poem of up to 70 lines.

Southword Fiction Story Prize

Anyone can enter. There is an upper limit of 5000 words for short stories. Only unpublished work.

Blue Mesa Awards

This competition is open to original English language works in the genres of Fiction, and Nonfiction. The submission must be an unpublished work. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable. accepts previously unpublished work in Fiction (up to 6,000 words), Nonfiction (up to 6,000 words). For the poetry category, Submissions of up to 3 unpublished poems are accepted.

Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award

Have never published a book, Have published no more than one full-length book in the genre in which they are applying, Writers may apply in poetry and/or fiction (only one manuscript per category). Poetry manuscripts should not exceed ten pages, single or double-spaced (minimum of 7 pages). Fiction manuscripts should not exceed 25 pages and must be double-spaced. Fiction manuscripts may include stories and/or excerpts from novels.

The Christopher Tower Poetry Competition

Open to submissions from students between 16-19 years of age who are educated in the UK. Entries must be on written in English, and be no more than 48 lines in length. Entrants must be in full or part-time education at a school, college or other educational institution in the United Kingdom. Each poem must be the entrant’s own work, joint authorship is ineligible.

Fowey Festival Short Story Competition

Anyone above 16 can enter. The title for the competition is “Breaking Point”. Length: max 1500 words. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been previously published, commended, long-listed or short-listed in another writing competition.

True Story Contest

Anyone can enter. Share a true story from your life. Write a story that shares a moment, an object, a feeling, etc. This does not have to be a profound memory, but should allow readers insight into your feelings, observations and/or thoughts. Use at least 100 words. No poetry.

Cheshire Prize for Literature

The writer must have been born, live or have lived, study or have studied, work or have worked, in Cheshire. Entry must be an original and previously unpublished piece of creative work in one of four categories themed around all aspects of the pandemic including “lockdown”: poetry, short fiction, children’s literature and scriptwriting.

Geographies of Justice: Call for Submissions

Anyone can enter. Poetry/Lyric: no more than 50 lines. Fiction, essays, creative non-fiction and other prose: up to 4000 words. Must hold the rights to the work and must be unpublished.

Evesham Festival of Words Short Story Competition

Anyone above 16 can enter. Any genre or subject, must be unpublished and original, aimed at adults only. Length: max 2,500 words.

Nelligan Prize for Short Fiction

Anyone can enter. The stories must be at least 10 pages (or 2500 words) but no more than 50 pages (12,500 words). Stories must be previously unpublished.

Eludia Award

All women age 40 and above, who do not yet have a book-length publication of fiction, can enter. The author must be unpublished and the entry should be in English.

Minute Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The Minute Poem is a poem that follows the “8,4,4,4” syllable count structure. It must have 12 lines total and 60 syllables.

James Jones First Novel Fellowship

Have never published a novel, Are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of America with Green Cards, May have published any other type of work including non-fiction articles and short stories. A two-page (maximum) outline or synopsis of the entire novel and the first 50 pages of the novel-in-progress are to be submitted. A specific format for the outline or synopsis is not required.

The 15th Annual Short Story Challenge

Anyone can enter.

The Phare Write Words Poetry Competition

Anyone 18 or above can enter. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast, or won a prize. They can be on any theme or subject but must be written in English. Non-fiction and fiction/poetry written for young adults or children is not eligible. Length: 40 lines max.

The Phare Write Words Short Story Competition

Anyone 18 or above can enter. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or won a prize. They can be on any theme or subject but must be written in English. Non-fiction and fiction/poetry written for young adults or children is not eligible. Length: 3000 words max.

The Phare Write Words Flash Fiction Competition

Anyone 18 or above can enter. An entry can only be made by the work’s individual author. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or won a prize. They can be on any theme or subject but must be written in English. Non-fiction and fiction/poetry written for young adults or children is not eligible. Length – 1000 words max.

Never Such Innocence Poetry Competition 2022

Poems must not be longer than 40 lines and should be your own, original work.

Two Line Poem

Anyone can enter. Write an essence poem. The poem should be of two lines with six syllables per line, each containing an internal rhyme and an ending rhyme.

Op-Ed Competition 2022

Young writers ages 13-18, 600 – 1,000 words.

5-7-5 Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The entry should be a 5-7-5 poem that follows the structure of a Haiku but without any limitation to the topic.

SWAMP Writing

Anyone enrolled in a postgraduate program in any university across the globe can enter. Entries must be unpublished poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction and memoir. This year’s theme: Reflection.

Free Verse Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. No restrictions.

The Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest

All Canadians (citizen or resident) can enter. No word limit (2,000 – 5,000 expected), must be unpublished nor accepted for publication elsewhere.

Four Line Poem

Anyone can enter. Write a four line poem that has a specific syllable count. The subject can be anything.

Driftwood Poetry Collections

Anyone can enter. It should be between 40-100 pages of poetry. Experimental poetry, hybrid work, poetry with a visual element, prose poetry, and any avant-garde poetry are welcomed! Submissions should be primarily in English, but collections with a moderate bilingual component will of course be considered.

Dark Tales Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Each entry must be no longer than 5000 words, must be the original, unpublished work of the stated author.

Dream One Quest Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Previously published poems in other contests, books, magazines, etc. are accepted and welcomed as long as they are original works created by the contest entrant(s). All entries must be composed or translated into the English language. Poems must be 30 lines or fewer.

Dream One Quest Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Previously published short stories in other contests, books, magazines, etc. are accepted and welcomed as long as they are original works created by the contest entrant(s). All entries must be composed or translated into the English language. Any fiction, non-fiction, creative non-fiction, essays, diary, journal entries, and short stage-plays and screenplays are accepted within a maximum of (5) pages or less.

Rubery Book Award

Anyone can enter. Your entry must be a book that is either self-published or published by an independent press.

Fish Publishing Poetry Prize

Anyone can enter. Poem length is restricted to 60 lines. The title is not included in the word limit, and it must be in English. The winning poem must be available for the Fish Anthology and, therefore, must not have been published previously. Fish will hold publishing rights for one year only after publication.

The Lascaux Prize in Poetry

Poets may enter more than once, and as many as five poems may be submitted per entry (all pasted into one document). There are no length restrictions. All genres and styles are welcome.

Wild Atlantic Writing Awards

For both categories, They’ve decided on an intriguing theme for both which is Time. The maximum length of your story should be 500 words, not including the title.

The Word Guild 2021 Fresh Ink Student Writing Awards

All entries must be published in 2021 and have a 2021 copyright date. Eligible entries must be in English or French. Self-published entries are admissible. We suggest the work be edited by a professional editor with experience in the publishing industry. The Word Awards are limited to writers who are Canadian. Submitter must confirm all entrants have Canadian Citizenship or Legal Permanent Resident Status.

The Caterpillar Poetry Prize 2022

Anyone above 16 can enter. The poem has to appeal to children aged 7-11 and it must be original and previously unpublished.

The Blue Mountain Novel Award

Anyone can enter. Entries must be original, and in English. It must be of a published novel of any length.

The Writers Of The Future

All amateur writers can enter. Entries must be original works by the entrant, in English. No excessive violence or sex. Entries may not have been previously published in professional media. Entries must be works of prose, up to 17,000 words in length. No poetry, or works intended for children.

The Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing

The contest is open to first-generation immigrants of their country. Entries should be unpublished and in English (translations welcome). Fiction manuscripts must be complete, a minimum of 45,000 words. non-fiction submissions must consist of either a complete manuscript, or a sample of at least 25,000 words and a detailed proposal.

Princeton 10-Minute Play Contest

All entrants must be students in the eleventh grade in the U.S. (or international equivalent of the eleventh grade).

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Length limit: 250 lines maximum. Authors from all countries eligible except Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea (due to US government restrictions). The poem you submit should be in English.

Zone 3 First Book Award in Poetry

Anyone can enter. Only unpublished work of a full-length collection of poems (48 pages or more) is eligible; those with chapbooks may participate. Manuscript should be 48-80 pages.

The Orison Prizes in Poetry & Fiction

Anyone can enter. Must be book-length manuscripts. Submissions should be of full-length poetry and fiction (minimum 30,000 words) manuscripts. Original English work only; no translations.

Manningham Trust Student Poetry Contest

There are two divisions: Grade 6-8 (Junior Division) and Grades 9-12 (Senior Division). Each NFSPS member state may submit ten (10) poems in each division. Poems may have been printed and/or have won previous awards. Each poem must be neatly typed or computer-generated and have no more than 35 lines including space lines with no line having more than 60 characters including spaces and punctuation. Every poem entered should appear on a single sheet.

2022 White Rose Memorial Essay Contest

Middle school Essay: Length: 500-1000 words. Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8 at the beginning of the 2021-2022 academic year may participate. Students may win an award only once in each school category. High school essay: Length: 750-1500 words, Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12 at the beginning of the 2021-2022 academic year may participate. Students may win an award only once in each school category. Use entry form attached.

Claymore Award

The contest is limited to only the first 50 double-spaced pages of unpublished English-language manuscripts containing elements of thriller, mystery, crime, or suspense NOT currently under contract.

Books By The Banks Writing Contest

This year’s contest theme is Home. You are encouraged to interpret this theme as literally or figuratively as you desire. Fiction, non-fiction, and poetry are welcome. Submitted work must be original and unpublished. Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.

The Alpine Fellowship Academic Writing Prize

Anyone 18 and above can enter. Awarded for the best piece of academic essay writing on the theme of the 2021 Alpine Fellowship. A maximum of 4000 words per entry. Text must not have been published, self-published or accepted for publication in print or online, or have won or been placed in another competition at any time.

The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize

Anyone 18 and above can enter. All genres permitted. A maximum of 2,500 words per entry. Text must not have been published, self-published or accepted for publication in print or online, or have won or been placed in another competition at any time (including the Alpine Fellowship Academic Writing Prize).

Nonfiction: We seldom publish prose that is more than 5,000 words in length. Fiction: We seldom publish prose that is more than 5,000 words in length. We will consider novel excerpts and flash pieces. Poetry: please submit no more than 6 poems.

Seaborne Magazine: Call for submissions about the sea

Anyone can enter. They are looking for rich, atmospheric fiction, non-fiction, poetry and visual artwork about the sea. Submissions must be formatted to UK spelling. They do not accept previously published submissions, in other magazines, websites or personal blogs. Fiction should be between 2,000-5,000 words for short stories, and 300 words for vignettes. Creative non-fiction should be between 800-1,500 words.

The American Foreign Service Association’s National High School Essay Contest

Students whose parents are not in the Foreign Service are eligible to participate if they are in grades 9 – 12 in the US, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, or if they are U.S. citizens attending high school overseas including home-schooled students. Previous first-place winners and immediate relatives of directors or staff of the AFSA and Semester at Sea are not eligible to participate. Length: 1,250 words max.

Oklahoma Poem Contest

Only Oklahoma residents are eligible to enter. Poems will be judged in 4 categories: K-4th, 5th-8th, 9th-12th, and Adult, The maximum length for poems is 30 lines, Poems can be rhymed or unrhymed, One poem per person, Previous winning poems cannot be submitted again.

The Colin Sutton Cup for Humour

Maximum 12-page spreads (totalling to 24 internal pages). No more than 500 words. Let your illustrations tell the story, Use whichever medium you’re most comfortable with, paint, pencil, collage, print etc….but don’t be afraid to experiment, word limit: 500, 12 page spreads (24 pages in total).

Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize

Anyone 18 and above who lives in the state of Victoria can enter. Stories must be biographical. Stories must be between 1000 to 3000 words. The work must be original, written in English and not have been previously published. It should not have won a prize in any other competition.

Fan Story Dribble Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. The submitted work must be between 48 – 52 words.

Fan Story New Arrival Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a story that uses exactly 100 words.

Fan Story Future Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a flash fiction story that takes place in the future. Maximum length 500 words.

Etel Adnan Poetry Prize

Anyone of an Arab heritage can apply. Only first or second full-length books of poetry written in English may be submitted. Chapbooks are not considered as a previous publication in this regard. Manuscripts must be between forty-eight and ninety pages. Individual poems may have been published in chapbooks, journals, and anthologies. Work in translation is not accepted.

The Art and Writing Environmental Awareness Contest

All winners will be notified of the results in late April- mid May, Students ages 12-26 anywhere in the world are eligible to apply, Entries must involve the environment/environmental awareness,

We the Students Essay Contest

All students who are legal US residents or citizens, older than 14 and younger than 19, may apply. Stay tuned for updates on the 2021 contest prompt.

Fan Story Faith Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The theme for this poetry contest is “faith”.

Poetry & Spoken Word Competition 2022

100 word flash fiction.

Anyone can enter. The entry should be exactly 100 words.

Ayn Rand anthem contest

Entrant must be at least 13 years old and in 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade for any part of the school year in which the contest is held. Essays must be submitted electronically through the online portal. Essays must be written in English only, and must be no fewer than 600 and no more than 1,200 words in length, double-spaced. One entry per student per contest.

Ayn Rand The fountainhead contest

Entrant must be in 11th or 12th grade for any part of the school year in which the contest is held. Essays must be submitted electronically through the online portal. Essays must be written in English only, and must be no fewer than 800 and no more than 1,600 words in length, double-spaced. One entry per student per contest.

Tanka Poetry Contest

Marsh hawk press poetry prize.

Anyone can enter. Manuscripts must be between 48 – 84 pages in length. Individual poems from the manuscript may have been previously published in magazines, anthologies, or chapbooks of less than 25 pages, but the collection, as a whole, must be unpublished.

The Claudia Ann Seaman Awards For Young Writers

High School students from anywhere in the world are eligible to submit original work written in English. Creative writing that was not previously published, can be submitted in the categories of poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction. Submit a maximum of three pieces across the three genres. Poetry, up to 80 lines. Fiction and creative non-fiction must be 1,800 words or less.

FAPA President’s Book Awards

Any English writing author can enter. All entries must be books with a copyright date from 2020 to 2022. Ebooks should be submitted in PDF format

3 Minute Drama Competition

The competition is open to all, but the script must be in English, and in PDF format. Warranty and Copyright. The script must be an original work that does not infringe upon another person’s copyright or other rights. It may or may not have been published before. The copyright in your script will remain your sole property.

Adventure Writer’s Competition

Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopian, Romance not allowed! – we can’t state it more straightforward than that unless we change the name of the competition to “The Not SciFi, Fantasy, Dystopian or Romance Competition.”,

Sentinel Literary Quarterly Poetry Competition

Anyone can enter. This competition is for original, previously unpublished poems in English, on any subject, in any style up to 50 lines long. Poems posted on members-only non-public groups for review/critique as part of the creative process are not deemed to have been previously published.

Cranked Anvil Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. The competition is open to any theme or genre, but your story must be a maximum of 1,500 words and must be written in English. Entries must be the original and unpublished work of the entrant. This includes publication online, including (but not limited to) personal blogs or websites. Each entry must not be currently submitted for publication nor for any other competition or award.

The Ernest Hemingway Short Fiction Prize

Anyone can enter. Entries should be approximately 1500 words or less. Submissions should be unpublished.

Ver Poets Open Competition

Anyone 16 and above can enter. Poems should not have been published, or accepted for publication, in print or online. They should not have won prizes in other competitions, be simultaneously entered for other competitions or be translations of other poets’ work. Poems must be your own original work and may be on any theme. Length: no longer than 30 lines.

Tadpole Press 100 Word Writing Contest

Limit: 100 words per entry. Submit as many entries as you’d like. Writers: All ages. All genders. All nationalities. All writers welcome. Theme: The power of words.

CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Jan 1, 2019 will be disqualified. All works that have been published must be published after Jan. 1, 2019. Novels must be 60,000 plus words. You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.

World Historian Student Essay Competition

Only students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs can apply. Past winners may not compete in the same category again. The entry should be approximately 1,000 words.

Bristol Short Story Prize

Anyone above 16 can enter. The maximum length of submissions is 4,000 words in English. Stories can be on any theme or subject and are welcome in any style including graphic, verse or genre-base .Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been previously published, in print or online, or broadcast or won a prize in another writing competition.

15 Syllable Poem

Anyone can enter. Write a poem with exactly 15 syllables.

Writers’ Digest Annual Writing Competition

Anyone can enter. All entries must be in English. Only original works that have not been published (at the time of submission) in print, digital or online publications, Self-published work, unproduced scripts. Entries in the Print or Online Article category may be previously published.

Fan Story Non-Fiction Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Submit literary works of non-fiction on any topic. It doesn’t matter if it’s spiritual, political, intellectual, emotional, funny, serious, or an essay about your DVD player. New entries only. Minimum length 500 words. Maximum Length 7,000 words. Recommended length 2,000 – 3,500 words.

3 Line Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The poem has to have a syllable count of either 5-7-5 or 5-7-7. It shouldn’t rhyme. But the poem must address a loved one.

The Montreal International Poetry Prize

The Montreal Prize is awarded every 2 years for a single poem of 40 or fewer lines. Submissions open in January 2022. Entry fee rises to $25 CAD ($20 USD) from 2nd May.

James Laughlin Award

Any US citizen or resident for the ten-year period prior to the submission deadline can enter. Book must be under contract with a U.S. publisher and scheduled to be published between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021.Must be published by December 31, 2021. The author must have published one book of poetry in a standard edition (48 pages or more). Entries must be an English. Submissions are welcome from small presses, university presses, and trade publishers that have previously published at least four books of poetry. Translations and new editions of previously published books are not eligible.

Sports Writing Competition 2022

Fan story flash fiction contest.

Anyone can enter. Entry should be exactly 150 words.

Lazuli Literary Group Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, essays, philosophical ruminations, stageplays, fragments, chapters, and excerpts are all acceptable.

Time Travelers Contest

You must write at least one chapter – there’s no maximum chapter limit. Because this contest is open to all audiences, your entries must not be sexually explicit and can’t feature graphic displays of gratuitious violence. Fan-fic novels are not eligible. The main character or characters of your entry must go through a change of temporality and must have a significant impact on the plot. This change must occur in the story before the end of the fourth chapter and must be mentioned in your book description.

The Peter Hinchcliffe Fiction Award

All Canadians who haven’t published either a first novel or short story collection can enter. No word limit (2,000 – 5,000 expected), must be unpublished nor accepted for publication elsewhere.

Rhyming Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem that has a rhyme scheme. How it rhymes is up to you.

Script Pipeline TV Writing Contest

The 2022 Script Pipeline TV Writing Competition heads into its 15th season, continuing the search for up-and-coming talent and connecting them with top producers, agencies, and managers. As one of the longest-running and most successful screenplay contests, we focus specifically on finding writers representation, supporting diverse voices, championing marketable, ambitious storytelling, and pushing original projects into production.

First Novel Prize

Entry is open to writers in the English language worldwide, regardless of the author’s country of residence. Entry is open to unpublished or independently published/self-published novelists only. Self-published/independently published means the author owns the rights to the work in full. Both represented and unrepresented novelists are welcome to enter the Prize. Only completed novels of over 50,000 words will be accepted, there is no maximum requirement for the number of words.

Accenti Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Submissions are open for entries unpublished and not under consideration by any other publication. Maximum length: 40 lines. Submissions can be an English translation of the author’s unpublished original work in another language.

Fiction Factory Poetry Competition

Fiction Factory welcomes submissions to its first ever poetry competition, judged by novelist and poet: Helen Cox. Maximum length: 40 lines.

Jane Austen Society Essay Contest

All students in school, university, or graduate school can apply.

Farnham Flash Fiction Competition

Anyone can enter. Story length: 500 words.

Fan Story Write A Script Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a script of any size (can be a small script as shown in the example) for any medium on any topic.

Bath Flash Fiction Award

Anyone above 16 can enter. Entries can be on any theme or subject but must be original and written in English. They must also be for adult or young adult readers. Non-fiction and fiction written for children under 13 years are not eligible. Max length is 300 words. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or won a prize.

Fan Story ABC Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a one-stanza, five-line poem.

Fan Story 6 Word Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem with only 6 words.

Ocean Awareness Contest

All students aged 11 – 18 can apply. All entries must be original work in English and not previously submitted. Students ages 11-14 may enter the Junior Division (Creative Writing: up to 750 words; Poetry & Spoken Word: no more than 1 page). Students ages 15-18 may enter the Senior Division (Creative Writing: up to 1,250 words; Poetry & Spoken Word: no more than 2 pages).

Fan Story Haiku Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Only haiku poems.

Narrative Prize

We accept submissions only through our electronic submission system. We do not accept submissions through postal services or email. All manuscripts should be in 12-point type, with at least one-inch margins, and sequentially numbered pages. Fiction and nonfiction should be double-spaced. Poetry should be single-spaced.

Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award

Eligible works must have been first published in English between January 1, 2021 and January 1, 2022. To be eligible for the Silver Falchion Award, works must be published the year previous the competition and must be readily available to a North-American audience (either in print or digital format).

Baby Boomer Plus

he word count for this contest is 900 – 4000 words. Stories Through The Ages – Baby Boomers Plus is open to people born 1966 or earlier. There is no prompt for the contest Authors may write about any topic.

Poetry Chapbook Prize

Each manuscript should consist of a 20-30 page chapbook in a standard 12-point font. Chapbooks may not have been previously published nor be forthcoming, though individual poems may have been published elsewhere (provided rights have reverted to the author).

International Essay Contest for Young People

Essays may be submitted by anyone up to 25 years old (as of June 15, 2022) in one of the following age categories: a) Children (ages up to 14) b) Youth (ages 15 – 25) Essays must be 700 words or less in English or French, or 1600 characters or less in Japanese. Essays must be typed, with your name and essay title included at the top of the first page

TCK Publishing Flash Fiction Contest

This contest is open to writers from all countries, backgrounds, and levels of experience and we invite you to join the 2022 TCK Publishing Flash Fiction Contest. Any writer (regardless of who your publisher is or if your work has been previously published) may submit a short story totaling no more than 500 words (less is fine).

Food Writing Competition 2022

The lascaux prize in flash fiction.

Writers may enter more than once, and as many as three stories may be submitted per entry (all pasted into one document). Individual story length should not exceed 1,000 words. All genres and styles are welcome.

Fan Story Cinquain Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Entries must adhere to the contest’s syllable specifications.

Fan Story Love Poem Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. But it must clearly be a love poem.

Drue Heinz Literature Prize

Open to writers who have published a novel or a book-length collection of fiction in English. Translations are not eligible if the translation was not done by the author. Eligible submissions include an unpublished manuscript of short stories; two or more novellas (a novella may comprise a maximum of 130 double-spaced typed pages); or a combination of one or more novellas and short stories. Novellas are only accepted as part of a larger collection. Length: 150 – 300 pages.

North Street Book Prize

Anyone can enter except those from Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea (due to US government restrictions). Length limit: 200,000 words maximum in English. You may submit a collection of short stories or essays as a single entry.

The Bulwer Lytton Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Must be original and unpublished. Each entry must consist of a single sentence. The entry shouldn’t go beyond 50 or 60 words.

Blackwater Press short story contest

Anyone can enter. Word limit should be between 1000 words to 10,000 words.

The Orison Chapbook Prize

Anyone can enter. Must be manuscripts of 20-45 pages, in any genre (poetry, fiction, non-fiction, or hybrid). Original English work only; no translations. Individual poems, stories, or essays—or excerpts—may have been previously published in periodicals and/or chapbooks, but the manuscript as a whole must not have been published in book form, whether digital or in print. Self-published manuscripts are not eligible.

Saudi Historical Fiction Awards

The AWARDS are open worldwide for entries, and there are no eligibility criteria except that manuscripts must be historical, in the English language and with a Saudi setting. To qualify for the prize, your novel must total at least 60,000 words and should be no longer than 150,000 words.

The Gutsy Great Novelist Page One Prize

The Gutsy Great Novelist Page One Prize is awarded for an outstanding opening page of an unpublished novel. The prize is open internationally to anyone over 18 writing a novel in English in any genre for adult or YA readers.

Fantasy Writing Competition 2022

Short story competition clean vs green.

Open to all – international writers are encouraged. All submissions must be in English and unpublished. A short story of between 1000 and 3000 words. Please submit your short story plus around 200 words on your thinking behind your approach and how your story meets the criteria. The title of the document should be the title of your story.

Fan Story Rhyming Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem of any type. But there must be a rhyme scheme.

Cozy and Not-So-Cozy Mystery Book Awards | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. Novels must be 60,000 plus words.You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.

WOW! Women on Writing Creative non-fiction Essay Contest

All women can enter. Entries should be creative non-fiction in English. Maximum words: 1000. Minimum words: 200.

Polar Expressions National Poetry and Short-Story Contest

Any Canadian resident or citizen can enter. There are two seperate prize categories: 1) ages 16 and above, and 2) ages 15 and under. All work must be original. Entries should not have been previously published and no simultaneous submissions. Poems must be 48 lines or less. Short stories must be 750 words or less. Fanfiction and essays are not permitted. Entries should be in English or accompanied by an English translation.

Highlands & Islands Short Story Association

Any amateur author can enter. Any theme (unusual story lines preferred), must be unpublished and original and won no prize before. Short Story length: max 2,000 words. Flash Fiction length: max 500 words.

Fan Story New Arrival Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. This is a “New Arrival” contest which is designed to welcome new members to the site.

Red Hen Press Novella Award

15,000 word minimum, 30,000 word maximum. Entries will be accepted via Submittable only. The award is open to all writers with the following exceptions: Authors who have had a full-length work published by Red Hen Press; or a full-length work currently under consideration by Red Hen Press, Employees, interns, or contractors of Red Hen Press, Relatives of employees or members of the executive board of directors.

Western, Pioneer, & Civil War, Americana Historical Fiction Novels, and First Nations Novels | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Historical fiction pre-1750s writing contest | chaucer | chanticleer book reviews.

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Copyrighted works before Dec. 31, 2017 will be disqualified. Novels must be 60,000 plus words.You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.

Historical Fiction Post 1750s Writing Contest | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Copyrighted works before Dec. 31, 2018 will be disqualified. Novels must be 60,000 plus words.You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.

The Orison Anthology Awards

Anyone can enter. Submissions are for single works in 3 genres (poetry, fiction, an non-fiction). Submit up to 3 poems (10 pp. max), 1 story (up to 8,000 words), or 1 work of non-fiction (up to 8,000 words). You may submit in multiple genres, and/or submit multiple entries in each genre.

Fan Story Loop Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Loop Poetry requires that the last word of each line becomes the first word of the next line. The rhyme scheme is abcb.

Fan Story My Faith Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Share a poem that is about your faith or how faith has impacted your life. Any type of poem accepted.

Flash Fiction Competition 2022

Anthology magazine short story competition.

Anyone can enter. Stories submitted must be on the theme of ‘Memories’ in English. To enter, submit an original, unpublished short story, written in English on the subject of ‘Memories’ with a maximum of 1,500 words.

Young Adult and Teen Writing Contests | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2018 will be disqualified. Novels must be 50,000 plus words.You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.

Middle Grade Fiction Writing Contests | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2018 will be disqualified. Novels must be 50,000 plus words.You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest. 20,000+ word count .

Oxford Flash Fiction Prize

Anyone can enter. All entries must be the work of the person entering and must not have been published anywhere online (including blogs and websites) or accepted for publication elsewhere. It must be in English. The copyright remains with the author. Length: 1000 words, no minimum word limit.

Fan Story Take A Photo Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem about a photo you’ve taken.

Aesthetica Poetry Creative Writing Award

Anyone can enter. Poetry entries should be no more than 40 lines. They accept works on any theme.

Aesthetica Short Story Creative Writing Award

Anyone can enter. Fiction entries should be no more than 2,000 words. They accept works on any theme.

Romantic Fiction Writing Contests | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before January 1, 2018 will be disqualified. Novels must be 50,000 plus words.You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.

Coniston Prize for Women Poets

All women can enter. Submit 3-6 previously unpublished poems in English. This award recognizes an exceptional group of poems.

Blue Mesa Review Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Must be in English, unpublished original work, simultaenous submissions acceptable. Please submit a packet of up to 3 poems or up to 6,000 words of prose.

Miller Williams Poetry Prize

Anyone can enter. Length: Manuscripts must be between sixty and ninety pages. The manuscript must be previously unpublished. Individual poems may have been published in chapbooks, journals, and anthologies. Work in translation is not accepted.

Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter except those from Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea (due to US government restrictions). Length limit: 250 lines maximum per poem. The entry should be your own original work and in English. You may submit the same poem simultaneously to this contest and to others, and you may submit poems that have been published or won prizes elsewhere. (However, please do not submit work that has previously received recognition at Winning Writers.)

The Lascaux Prize in Creative Nonfiction

Creative nonfiction may include memoirs, chronicles, personal essays, humorous perspectives, literary journalism—anything the author has witnessed, experienced, learned, or discovered. Writers may enter more than once. Length should not exceed 10,000 words. All topics are welcome; pieces should be written in a nonacademic style

Thriller, Suspense Writing Contest | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. 12 point font – Times New Roman suggested. Single or double-spaced. Single spaced preferred by judges. Name, title, and word count on cover page. Pages should be numbered. Digital WORD documents or PDF only. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2018 will be disqualified. Novels must be 60,000 plus words. You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee. You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.

Little Peeps Picture Books and Early Readers Writing Contests | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. Published works before Dec. 31, 2018 will be disqualified.You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.

Non-Fiction Writing Contests | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. All published books must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Works published before Dec. 31, 2018 will be disqualified. Books must be 50,000 plus words. You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee. You may enter more than one book into a given contest.

The Crucible First Novel Award

Anyone can enter. Submit the first 5,000 words of their manuscripts, along with a 150 word ‘elevator pitch’. Manuscripts which have been published in any form, either traditionally or self-published, are ineligible to enter. Entries which fall within the genres of crime, mystery, thriller, or their sub-genres are eligible.

Embracing Our Differences Quotation Contest

Anyone can enter. Entries can be no longer than 20 words on embracing our differences. Please consider submitting an original quotation.

The Calvino Prize

Submit up to 25 industry standard (double-spaced, 12-point font, pages numbered) pages of a novel. Do not send publication history of the author.

The Raven Short Story Contest

This contest is for previously unpublished short fiction between 250 and 2500 words in length. Multiple entries welcome. Total entries limited to 200.

The Galley Beggar Press

Submissions must be no longer than 6,000 words.

Letter Review Prize for Short Stories

submit an original unpublished short story which is 400 – 3000 words, written in English, in size 12 font, as a word doc. Include a short biography of less than 200 words. Don’t include your name in the title of your document, or in your story, as the Prize is judged blindly.

Fiction Factory Short Story Competition

Length of story: max 3,000 words. Entries should be as a Word document. All types of stories are welcome (excluding Children’s and Young Adult Fiction).

The Larry Brown Short Story Award

The submitted story must be less than 4,000 words. No previously published work will be considered. The writer’s name and contact information should only appear within the cover letter box in Submittable.

Flash 500 Novels competition

Anyone can enter. Entries may have appeared online in private (password protected) peer review sites, but should not have been published in any commercial online form including blogs or personal websites or accepted for publication elsewhere. Chapters must not exceed 3,000 words and must be accompanied by a one page synopsis of the balance of the story. Entries must be in English.

OZMA Book Awards for Fantasy Fiction | Sword & Sorcery Fiction | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Copyrighted works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. Copyrighted works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.

Paranormal Writing Competition | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. Novels must be 50,000 plus words. You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.

Global Thriller Writing Contest | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Virginia b. ball writing contest.

All students in grades 8-11 during the 2022-2023 school year are eligible to apply. Poetry: Your sample should include 1-4 poems/spoken word pieces. Fiction: Your sample should include 1-3 stories, novel or story excerpts, or flash fiction pieces. Each piece should be fewer than 3,500 words.ersonal essay/memoir: Your sample should include 1-3 essays. Each piece should be fewer than 3,500 words.Screenwriting: Your sample should be fewer than 20 pages. Playwriting: Your sample should be fewer than 20 pages.

CIBA Fiction Series Book Awards | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels must be PUBLISHED: Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pubs accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation. Unpublished Manuscripts are not accepted into the CIBA Book Series Awards. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Each book in the series must be at least 60,000 plus words. YA and Middle-Grade Works may be less but at least 40,000 words. The first book in the series must have been published AFTER January 1, 2010. Three Books or more is the qualifying number of works to be considered a series in the CIBA Series Book Awards. You may enter in more than one category. However, each complete series entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.

20c Wartime Historical Fiction | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2018 will be disqualified. Novels must be 60,000 plus words.You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.

Satirical & Allegorical Fiction Book Awards | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Contemporary & literary novel writing contest | chanticleer book reviews, non-fiction guides and how-to book awards | chanticleer book reviews.

Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pubs accepted. Word Documents and PDFs are accepted. All published books must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Works published before December 30, 2018 will be disqualified. Books must be 50,000 plus words OR at least 75 pages for Photobooks, Graphic Books, Charts, and other types of visual books or cookbooks/instructional books (knitting, etc). You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee. You may enter more than one book into a given contest.

You may enter more than one book into a given contest.

Works may be published on the web or in print or may be non-published. E-pubs accepted. Word Documents and PDFs are accepted. International entries are accepted but they must be written in the English language. Entries must be in the English language. STYLE GUIDERS ACCEPTED: AP, Chicago Manual of Style, MLA, and APA. Works published before December 30, 2018 will be disqualified. Works must be 10,000 plus words. Works must be 10,000 plus words. You may enter more than one work into a given contest.

Business, Technology, and Enterprise Non-Fiction Guides and How-To Book Awards | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published E-pubs accepted. Word Documents and PDFs are accepted. All published books must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. Entries must be in the English language. Works published before December 31, 2018 will be disqualified. You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee. You may enter more than one book into a given contest.

Mind and Spirit Non-Fiction Guides and Works | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pubs accepted. Word Documents and PDFs are accepted. All published books must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Works published before January 1, 2019 will be disqualified. Books must be 40,000 plus words. You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee. You may enter more than one book into a given contest.

Hearten Book Awards for Uplifting Non-Fiction Works | Chanticleer Book Reviews

The grindstone novel prize.

The 2022 International Novel Prize is open to authors from all countries, providing their submissions are in English. The prize is open to authors who are; unrepresented and unpublished, unrepresented and self-published, or previously published but currently unrepresented. Entrants are asked to submit the first 5,000 words of their finished or part-finished manuscripts, accompanied by a brief synopsis. Manuscripts must have a finished, or projected-finished length of at least 50,000 words. Entries of all genres are accepted, with the exception of worked aimed at children. YA is accepted.

Orna Ross Green Stories Novel Prize

Typically novels are 60,000 – 95,000 words. Submit three chapters (minimum of 4000 words, maximum 10,000 words), including the first chapter, another chapter that best showcases how your novel meets the green stories criteria, and a third chapter (the final chapter if possible). Prepare a synopsis between 500 and 1000 words that covers genre, plot, characters, and details of how it meets the green stories criteria of showcasing positive visions of a more sustainable society or incorporating green solutions into the context of an otherwise mainstream story.

H.E. Bates Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Must be unpublished (except on social media) and original work, and won no prize before. Length: max 2,000 words.

Daisy Pettles Women’s Writing Contest

All women writers, age 40 or older.

Dynamo Verlag Book Contest

This contest is open to all authors who have not published more than one (1) full length book in their primary genre (this does not include self-published works). Current and under-contract Dynamo Verlag authors are ineligible, as are any persons employed or associated with the press.This contest is open to primarily textual poetry or prose, minimum 8,000 words for poetry and maximum 75,000 words for prose.

7 Day Story Writing Challenges

The competition is open to anyone aged 18 or over at the time of entering. International entries are welcome. All entries must be written in English. You must register for the competition using your real name. You can only register once.

Flash Fiction Competition

Entries must be in English. Entries must be the work of the entrant and must not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere. The competition is international and welcomes non-UK entrants. Copyright remains with the author.

The Moth Poetry Prize

The Prize is open to anyone (over 16), as long as the work is original and previously unpublished. There is no line limit, and the poems can be on any subject.

Blue Mountain Arts Poetry Contest

Poems can be rhyming or non-rhyming, although we find that non-rhyming poetry reads better. Write about real emotions and feelings and that you have, some special person, or an occasion that comes to mind as you write. Poems are judged on the basis of originality and uniqueness. English-language entries only, please.

53-Word Story Contest

Your story must be 53 words—no more, no less—titles are not included in the word count. Stories not meeting this rule will be disqualified. Send only stories; poetry with line breaks will not be considered. Hyphenated words count as one word. One submission per person. there are no age restrictions.

Shooter Flash

We welcome stories up to 1,000 words long on a rolling basis, any theme/genre. Stories must be no longer than 1,000 words excluding title. Stories may be submitted at any time as submissions are open on a rolling basis. Stories can be previously published or unpublished, and writers may submit multiple stories for consideration.

Keeping your writing hidden won’t do much for your self-esteem and help you advance in your chosen career. Joining contests and competing with the best writers out there is the one way to give yourself the boost you need.

Read more here.

Amazing Writing Retreats to Attend in 2024

The 2024 International Book Fairs Calendar

The Best Writing Conferences and Workshops to Attend in 2024

500+ Online Writing Courses to Join in 2022

Amber Byers

Thanks for including the Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest in your valuable directory of writing contests for 2022!

We’re excited to let you know that we are now hosting this contest twice a year—with deadlines every April 30 and November 30.

If you make any updates to this list, would you kindly include our updated deadlines?

Many thanks! Amber https://www.tadpolepress.com/100-word-writing-contest

Hello Amber, Thanks for letting us know. We’ll make sure to add the new dates in the next update.

Michael Gordon

As a writer I would suggest other writers to take part in writing contests because they are a great way to increase your exposure.

oussama boutoual

We at Neovel are excited to announce our upcoming writing contest with the theme of “Suspense” and the name The Mysterious Case We are seeking talented writers to submit their best work and compete for a chance to win prizes and gain recognition.

We would be grateful if you could help spread the word about our contest to your audience of writers and readers. We believe that your website is a great platform to reach out to potential participants and we would be honored if you could feature our contest on your website.

The contest is open for submissions starting 06/02/2023 and will close on April 2, 2023. The winners will be announced on May 8, 2023.

The entry is completely FREE

The prizes for winning authors are:

1st place: 500€,

2nd place: 250€,

3rd place: 100€.

Additionally, we will also be offering prizes for readers who read the most chapters from books that are participating in the contest :

1st : 1 year of free premium membership,

2nd : 6 months of free premium membership

3rd : 3 months of free premium membership.

Here is the link to the contest for more details : https://neovel.io/contest/the-mysterious-case-contest

If you have any questions or need more information about our contest, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We look forward to hearing from you and hope that you can help us make this contest a success.

If you have any questions, please contact Oussama at oussama@neovel.io for further assistance.

Best regards, The Neovel Team.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Kotobee is the complete end-to-end ebook solution for you and your business. Export multiple formats. Deliver securely.

Create, publish, and sell ebooks with ease

Kotobee es la solución completa de ebooks de extremo a extremo para usted y su empresa.

Cree, publique y venda libros electrónicos con facilidad

Recent Posts

• How to Edit a Book for Publishing: Tips & Best Practices
• Book Royalties: What They Are and How to Earn the Best Rates
• Game-Based Learning: What It Is, and How to Apply It
• How to Publish a Book for Free and Maximize Your Profit
• How to Become a Best-Selling Author: 5 Secrets for Success
• Entries feed
• Comments feed
• WordPress.org

By submitting your essay, you give the Berkeley Prize the nonexclusive, perpetual right to reproduce the essay or any part of the essay, in any and all media at the Berkeley Prize’s discretion.  A “nonexclusive” right means you are not restricted from publishing your paper elsewhere if you use the following attribution that must appear in that new placement: “First submitted to and/or published by the international Berkeley Undergraduate Prize for Architectural Design Excellence ( www.BerkeleyPrize.org ) in competition year 20(--) (and if applicable) and winner of that year’s (First, Second, Third…) Essay prize.” Finally, you warrant the essay does not violate any intellectual property rights of others and indemnify the BERKELEY PRIZE against any costs, loss, or expense arising out of a violation of this warranty.

Registration and Submission

You (and your teammate if you have one) will be asked to complete a short registration form which will not be seen by members of the Berkeley Prize Committee or Jury.

REGISTER HERE.

Additional Help and Information

• Sponsors and Supporters
• Get Involved
• Nuclear Matters

2022 Essay Contest

by Naif Siddiqui | Oct 4, 2022 | Announcements , Public Information , Student Outreach

You are invited to participate in the North American Young Generation in 2022 Nuclear Essay Contest!  

Eligibility:   High School Student (Grades 9-12)

Due Date:   December 16, 2022

Prizes:        First place – Laptop

                  Second place – Chromebook

            In addition, all top 3 finalists will receive science kits!

Essay Prompt:   Research energy sources and climate change.  Propose an informed energy solution that limits climate change, allows developed countries to maintain their standard of living, and can provide reliable electricity to the 1.2 billion people currently without access to power.  Proposed energy solution should consider the environmental and practical benefits and consequences of baseload (e.g. nuclear, fossil, hydro) versus intermittent (e.g. wind or solar) sources.

Requirements:

• In this essay, define baseload and intermittent electricity sources.
• Use at least 3 different reliable sources for your research and cite these sources .
• Essay must be between 1000 and 1500 words .

Optional Topics (questions to get you thinking!):

What is the cause of global warming?

Where do carbon emissions come from?

How is electricity made?

Can electricity be stored?

How much electricity do we need?  How much do we use?

Could electric cars factor into the solution?

All electricity generation sources generate waste.  How do we deal with this waste? (chemical, materials, carbon, radioactive materials)

What is the average electricity price in the United States?

Why is a diverse energy portfolio important?

What are the limitations of each electricity generation source?      

Grading:   Essays will be graded on meeting the above requirements, content & logical conclusions drawn from reliable sources, and grammar.

Submission :  email PDF version to [email protected]

Questions:   email [email protected]

Please visit our website at Public Information | NAYGN for more information about this contest and about NAYGN.

Essay Contest Educational & Promotional Material

Feel free to use the following materials to host the essay contest and submit entries. For any further inquiries on the essay contest, please email Naif Siddiqui at [email protected].

Essay Contest Introduction Letter – English

Hosting the drawing contest in your area, please feel free to use the material below:

Contest Presentation – PPT Slideshow

Contest Presentation – Outline for the Slideshow

Forms and Waivers:

Essay Contest Permission/Waiver Form

• Membership (118)
• Atlantic (10)
• Canada (18)
• Carolinas (23)
• Midwest (9)
• Northeast (13)
• Southeast (38)
• Awards (19)
• Digital (1)
• Publications (1)
• Social Media (7)
• Benchmarking (5)
• Board of Directors (14)
• Bylaws and Rules (1)
• Diversity and Inclusion (8)
• Engagement (18)
• Sponsorship (4)
• Sustainability (2)
• Conferences (33)
• Knowledge Transfer (2)
• Virtual PD (3)
• Webinar (5)
• Advocacy (16)
• Government Outreach (14)
• Literacy (6)
• Student Outreach (24)
• Go Nuke (119)

Post History

• Share full article

Advertisement

Modern Love

Official Rules: 2022 Modern Love College Essay Contest

A PDF version of this document with embedded text is available at the link below:

Download the original document (pdf)

1. Sponsor: The 2022 Modern Love College Essay Contest (the “Contest”) is sponsored by The New York Times Company, a New York corporation with principal offices at 620 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10018 (“Sponsor”). 2. Contest Description: The Contest is a skill-based competition in which participants will compete to be selected as author of the top essay, as selected by Sponsor. Participants will be invited to submit essays, which will be voted on and rated by Sponsor. By participating in this Contest, each participant agrees to be bound by these Official Rules and to the decisions of Sponsor and the judge selected by Sponsor, which are final and binding on all matters relating to the Contest. The Contest will operate as described below, on or about the stated dates: • The Contest submission period begins at 10:00 a.m. E.T. on NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. The New York Times Modern Love College Essay Contest OFFICIAL RULES

February 18, 2022, and ends at 11:59 p.m. E.T. on March 27, 2022 (the “Submission Period”). To be eligible, submissions must be submitted during the Submission Period and in accordance with Section 4 of these Official Rules. • The Contest judging period begins on March 28, 2022, and ends on or about April 22, 2022 (the “Judging Period”). Eligible submissions will be reviewed by a judge selected in the sole discretion of Sponsor and will be judged in accordance with Section 5 of these Official Rules. One (1) grand prize winner will be selected and four (4) runners-up will be selected (each, a “Winner”). • Sponsor will attempt to contact the Winners, or an alternate if necessary, in accordance with Section 6 of these Official Rules. • The Winners will be publicly announced on or about May 6, 2022. 3. Eligibility: The Contest is open to individuals who are all legal residents of the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia (each an “Entrant”). Void in Puerto Rico and all jurisdictions other than those stated above and where prohibited or restricted by law. Each Entrant must be at least eighteen (18) years of age at the time of entry and a current undergraduate student (including those who are expected to graduate in the first six (6) months of 2022 and those who are taking a leave of absence or a medical break from their undergraduate studies) at an American college or university at the time of entry. The following individuals are not eligible to enter or win a prize: employees,

representatives, agents, directors, and officers of Sponsor and its subsidiary, or affiliated companies, and any other parties involved in the administration of the Contest and each of the immediate family members of such excluded individuals (i.e., spouses, parents, children, siblings, and the “steps” of each) and all persons living in the same household of each. Subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Entry constitutes each Entrant’s certification that the Entrant meets the eligibility requirements set forth in these Official Rules. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein. By submitting an entry, each Entrant represents and warrants that there are no limits on the rights of the Entrant to enter this Contest, nor will any Entrant enter into any agreement or assume any obligation that limits the right or ability of that Entrant to participate in the Contest, or grant to Sponsor the specified rights as contemplated by Section 8 of these Official Rules. 4. How to Enter: To enter the Contest, during the Contest Period submit an essay of no more than 1700 words illustrating the current state of love and relationships (the “Essay”), to [email protected]. Submissions must include: Entrant’s Essay and contact information, including name, college or university name, home address, e-mail address and phone number. Each Entrant may submit only one Essay during the Contest. Essays must be received no later than 11:59 E.T. on

Sunday, March 27, 2022. 5. Judging Period: During the Judging Period all Essays that meet the Contest requirements will be reviewed by judges selected in Sponsor’s sole discretion. It is anticipated that Daniel Jones, Editor, Modern Love, and Miya Lee, Editor, Modern Love Projects, will serve as judges. The judges will select the Winners based on talent, writing ability, style, creativity and originality of entry. Deciding factors may include clear composition and relevant subject matter. 6. Winner Notification and Announcement: The potential Winners, as determined by the judge, will be notified by email (via the email address listed on the entry) or phone on or about Friday, April 22, 2022, and will be required to respond (as directed) to the notification attempt, which includes Winner. Failure to respond timely to the notification may result in forfeiture of participation in the Contest and, in such case, Sponsor will select an alternate Winner. The potential Winners will be required to execute and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release (where legally permissible) and other documents required by Sponsor within a reasonable amount of time, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. If the potential Winner cannot be contacted by e- mail after the first attempt, or if the potential Winner fails to sign and return the affidavit of eligibility within the required time period (if

applicable), the potential Winner will be disqualified and an alternate entry will be selected in its place from all eligible entries received according to the judging criteria described above. Sponsor reserves the right to extend or modify the Winner notification and announcement schedule as necessary to complete the verification process and/or to select an alternate Winner. 7. Prize: Approximate retail value of total prize package is One Thousand Dollars ($1,000). One grand-prize Winner will receive One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) paid through Sponsor’s freelance system and the Winner’s Essay will be published on nytimes.com and may be published in The New York Times Sunday Styles section. Four runners- up Winners will also be selected. Select runners-up Winners may also have their Essays published in print and/or on nytimes.com. The prize is non-transferable and no substitution will be made except as provided herein at the Sponsor’s sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute the prize for one of equal or greater value if the designated prize should become unavailable for any reason. Winners are responsible for all taxes and fees associated with the prize receipt and/or use. 8. Grant of Rights: In consideration of an Entrant's Essay being reviewed and evaluated for this Contest, each Entrant hereby grants to

Sponsor a non-exclusive, irrevocable, fully paid, universal license to use, copy, sublicense, distribute, publish, or display such Essay or any portion thereof in any media now known or hereafter devised and for any purpose, including advertising or promotions, and to use the name, likeness, voice, biographical information, and image of Entrant in any media now known or hereafter devised and for any purpose, including advertising or promotion of Sponsor. Entrant acknowledges and agrees that: (i) Sponsor has access to and/or may create or have created literary, visual and/or materials, ideas and concepts which may be similar or identical to the Contest Entry in theme and/or other respects; (ii) Entrant will not be entitled to any compensation or other consideration because of the use by Sponsor of any such similar or identical material, ideas and/or concepts; and (iii) Sponsor’s use of material containing elements similar to or identical with those contained in the Contest Entry or Essay shall not obligate Sponsor to negotiate with nor entitle Entrant to any compensation or other claim. 9. Entrant Representations, Warranties, Indemnification, and Release: By entering, each Entrant represents and warrants to Sponsor that: (i) the Essay (and Sponsor’s and its designees’ use thereof) does not and will not defame or otherwise violate the rights of any third party, and does not and will not violate any federal, state, or local laws or ordinances; (ii) the Essay is an original work and is not copied from any other source

or previously distributed or disseminated in any media or format; and (iii) the Essay is not in violation of or conflict with the trademark, copyright, rights of privacy, rights of publicity, or any other rights, of any kind or nature, of any other person or entity. Any individual who attempts to enter, or in the sole discretion of Sponsor is suspected of entering more than once, by any means, including but not limited to submitting multiple Essays, will be disqualified from the Contest. In addition, Sponsor reserves the right to reject any submission without explanation. By submitting an entry, each Entrant agrees to indemnify, release, discharge, and hold harmless Sponsor and its affiliates, subsidiaries, promotional partners, and agents, and all others associated with the development and execution of this Contest, and the officers, directors, and employees of each of the foregoing, from any and all claims and liabilities arising from or in connection with participation in this Contest, including, without limitation: (i) claims for injury, loss, or damage of any kind resulting from participation in this Contest or acceptance or use of any prize; and (ii) claims based on a breach of Entrant’s representations and warranties relating to the submission or exploitation of the Entrant’s Essay. If an Entrant is a California resident, such Entrant hereby waives California Civil Code Section 1542, which states: “A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release, which, if known by him or her must have

materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor.” WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, EVERYTHING REGARDING THIS CONTEST IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. SOME JURISDICTIONS MAY NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO SOME OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY. CHECK LOCAL LAWS FOR ANY RESTRICTIONS OR LIMITATIONS REGARDING THESE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS. 10. General Terms and Conditions: Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion, without prior notice to (i) cancel, suspend and/or modify the Contest, or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures or any other factor beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Contest, as determined by Sponsor; and (ii) disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these

Official Rules or any other promotion or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. All decisions by Sponsor are final and binding. 11. Limitation of Liability: Sponsor is not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants, printing errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest; (2) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Contest; (4) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Contest or the processing of entries; or (5) late, lost, undeliverable, damaged or stolen mail. 12. Governing Law; Disputes: This Contest is governed by the laws of the State of New York. Except where prohibited, Entrant agrees that: (i) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York or the appropriate New York State Court located in New York

County, New York; and (ii) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Contest, but in no event attorneys’ fees. 13. Privacy Policy: Any personal information supplied by an Entrant will be subject to Sponsor’s privacy policy posted at https:// www.nytimes.com/privacy, and the supplemental terms of these Official Rules. 14. Winner List: Winner List requests will only be accepted after the Contest end date and no later than June 31, 2022. For the Winner List, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: “Winner’s List – 2022 Modern Love College Essay Contest”, ATTN: Miya Lee, 620 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10018. Requests received without a self- addressed, stamped envelope will not be filled.

Tales About Love to Nourish Your Soul

The Cost of the American Dream:   A physical relationship is nearly impossible  for a hard-working Bangladeshi taxi driver and his wife, who longed for each other.

Who Is Trusted to Have a Child?:  A married gay man and emergency pediatrician wrestle with expectations of having a “traditional” family life .

A Fetish for a Second Skin: As a gay Korean American, he yearned for the privilege of being heterosexual or white. So he began wearing latex , a new skin.

The Slap That Changed Everything: She kept trying to laugh off and normalize sexual aggression by men. Eventually, it all caught up to her .

Seeking a Lover, Not a Nurse: Disability shouldn’t make someone undesirable  or impractical as a romantic partner.

Two Kisses We Never Talked About: Sometimes you really have to show up for your ex. This was one of those times .

Jump to navigation Skip to content

Search form

• P&W on Facebook
• P&W on Twitter
• P&W on Instagram

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.

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

Find publishers ready to read your work now with our Open Reading Periods page, a continually updated resource listing all the literary magazines and small presses currently open for submissions.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

• Register for Classes

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.

The Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award introduces emerging writers to the New York City literary community, providing them with a network for professional advancement.

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

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 essays, articles, interviews, profiles, and other select content from Poets & Writers Magazine as well as Online Exclusives.

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.

Every day the editors of Poets & Writers Magazine scan the headlines—publishing reports, literary dispatches, academic announcements, and more—for all the news that creative writers need to know.

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.

Listen to original audio recordings of authors featured in Poets & Writers Magazine . Browse the archive of more than 400 author readings.

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.

Poets & Writers is pleased to provide free subscriptions to Poets & Writers Magazine to award-winning young writers and to high school creative writing teachers for use in their classrooms.

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.

• Subscribe Now

Writing Contests, Grants & Awards

• See Recent Winners
• View the Submission Calendar

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.

Florida Review

Editor’s prizes.

Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Florida Review are given annually for a poem or group of poems, a short story, and an essay. The editors will judge....

University of Arkansas Press

Etel adnan poetry prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by University of Arkansas Press is given annually for a first or second poetry collection by a writer of Arab heritage. Series editors Hayan...

New Ohio Review

Literary prizes.

Three prizes of $1,500 each and publication in New Ohio Review are given annually for a poem or group of poems, a short story, and an essay. Submit a poem or group of...

Poetry Foundation

Ruth lilly and dorothy sargent rosenberg poetry fellowships.

Five fellowships of $27,000 each are given annually to U.S. poets between the ages of 21 and 31. Using only the online submission system, submit 10 pages of poetry and an...

Pen Parentis

Writing fellowship for new parents.

A prize of $2,000, a year of mentorship, and publication in Dreamers Creative Writing Magazine is given annually to a fiction writer who is the parent of a child under...

Whiting Foundation

Creative nonfiction grants.

Up to 10 grants of $40,000 each are given annually for creative nonfiction works-in-progress to enable writers to complete their books. Creative nonfiction writers under...

Poetry and Short Story Awards

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...

Australian Book Review

Elizabeth jolley short story prize.

A prize of $6,000 AUD (approximately $3,931) is given annually for a short story. A second-place prize of $4,000 AUD (approximately $2,621) and a third-place prize of $2,500...

University of Pittsburgh Press

Agnes lynch starrett poetry prize.

A prize of $5,000 and publication by University of Pittsburgh Press is given annually for a debut poetry collection. Using only the online submission system, submit a...

Chapbook Prize

A prize of $1,000, publication by Oversound , and 50 author copies is given annually for a poetry chapbook. Diana Khoi Nguyen will judge. Using only the online submission...

University of Iowa Press

Iowa poetry prize.

Publication by University of Iowa Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Using only the online submission system, submit a manuscript of 50 to 150 pages with a $20...

Short Story Contest

A prize of $1,000 is given biannually 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...

Poetry International

Poetry international prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Poetry International is given annually for a single poem. Using only the online submission system, submit up to three poems of any...

Marsh Hawk Press

Poetry prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Marsh Hawk Press is given annually for a poetry collection. John Keene will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a...

Tadpole Press

100-word writing contest.

A prize of $2,000 is given biannually for a work of flash poetry or prose. Manuscripts written in a language other than English are accepted when accompanied by an English...

Ghost Story

Supernatural fiction award.

A prize of $1,500 and publication on the Ghost Story website and in the 21st Century Ghost Stories anthology series is given biannually for a short story with a...

Inlandia Institute

Hillary gravendyk prizes.

Two prizes of $1,000 each, publication by the Inlandia Institute, and 20 author copies are given annually for a poetry collection by a U.S. resident and a poetry collection by...

Tupelo Press

Berkshire prize.

A prize of $3,000, publication by Tupelo Press, and 20 author copies is given annually for a first or second poetry collection. English translations of works originally written...

Autumn House Press

Nonfiction prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Autumn House Press is given annually for a book of nonfiction. The winner also receives a $1,500 travel and publicity grant. Clifford...

McGill University

Montreal international poetry prize.

A prize of $20,000 Canadian (approximately $14,807) and publication in the Montreal Poetry Prize anthology is given biennially for a poem. A.E. Stallings will judge, and...

Breakwater Review

Peseroff prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Breakwater Review ...

Winning Writers

Tom howard/john h. reid fiction & essay contest.

Two prizes of $3,500 each, two gift certificates for two-year memberships to the literary database Duotrope, and publication on the Winning Writers website are given annually...

Backwaters Press

Backwaters prize in poetry.

A prize of $2,000 and publication by Backwaters Press, an imprint of University of Nebraska Press, is given annually for a poetry collection. An honorable...

High Desert Museum

Waterston desert writing prize.

A prize of $3,000 is given annually for a work of nonfiction that recognizes “the vital role deserts play worldwide in the ecosystem and the human narrative...

Atlanta Review

International poetry contest.

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Atlanta Review is given annually for a single poem. Using only the online submission system, submit up to five poems of any length...

The best writing contests to enter in the second half of 2022

The first half of this year may have already passed, but there’s still plenty of time left to enter writing competitions in 2022. If you’re ready to unleash your creativity, there are writing contests with free entry and some with a minimal entry fee open around the world. Here’s a list of writing competitions currently open until to December 31, 2022.  

Short Story Competitions

The Reedsy Prompts Contest 

Enter a short story using a theme from one of Reedsy’s weekly newsletters released every Friday with five writing prompts. Writers have one week to submit a short story based around the prompts.

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Different themes each week.

Open to: No restrictions stated

Deadline: Weekly* December 31, 2022

*Word limit: Submissions between 1,000 – 3,000 words

Prize: $250 to the weekly winner with the story published on the Reedsy Blog within seven days.

Sydney Hammond Short Story Writing Competition

Want to write stories that allow your imagination to go wild? 

Genre: Fictional tale or a fictional tale inspired by a true story

Theme: Water under the Bridge

Deadline: 6pm August 1, 2022

Word limit: 1000 words

Entry fee: $15

Prize: First prize $250AUD Hawkeye Publishing Gift Voucher plus an anthology cover based on the winner’s story.

The Woollahra Digital Literary Award

This national literary award supports innovation in Australian literature and publishing, and if you’re a writer producing work in a digital medium, read on – there are two categories.

First Competition: 

Genre: Fiction. A novella or short story collection – published in the first instance online or in an electronic format that can be accessed on a computer, tablet or mobile device

Theme: Not stated

Open to: Entries must be submitted by authors that are Australian Residents over 16 years of age. 

Second Competition:

Genre: Non-Fiction. A monograph, collection of essays or a long essay – published in the first instance online or in an electronic format that can be accessed on a computer, tablet or mobile device.

Theme: Not stated  

Open to: Entries must be submitted by authors that are Australian Residents over 16 years of age.

Deadline: August 29, 2022

Word limit: 3,000-30,000 words (on both Fiction and Non-Fiction stories.)

Entry fee: N/A

Prize: $2,500 AUD for each competition category

2022 Alice Sinclair Writing Competition

Genre: Not stated

Theme: Out of the shadows

Open to: All writers

Deadline: August 31, 2022

Word limit: up to 2,500 words

Entry fee: $15 for each entry (maximum two entries per entrant)

Prize: $150 + certificate for first; $100 + certificate for second; certificate for third (most commended).

2022 The Minds Shine Bright Writing Competition

The arts business Minds Shine Bright runs two fiction writing competitions per year. This is their current competition. It’s open to short stories, poems, short scripts and flash fiction.

Theme: Storm – the theme must be included in each entry

Deadline: September 30, 2022

Word limit: 2,500 words across all categories except flash fiction which is 1000 words

Entry fee: $5 for each entry (maximum two entries per entrant)

• The winner receives $500
• Second place – $400
• Third place – $300
• Fourth place – $200
• Five commended entries receive $100 each.
• Minds Shine Bright will also publish the winners and commended entries in an e-book.  

The Letter Review Prize for Short Stories 2022

Theme: Not stated. Accept all varieties of original unpublished short stories. Must be written in English.

Open to: Anyone from anywhere in the world over 12 years of age

Deadline: 11:59 pm on 31st October 2022.

Word limit: 400 – 3,000 words

Entry fee: $20 USD per story (Can submit multiple stories)

Prize: The total prize pool is $1000 USD. $600 USD and publication for first place, $250 USD and publication for second, $150 USD and publication for third.

Creative Writing Competitions

The Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) and Westerly prize for Life Writing

This popular competition highlights life writing and encourages writers to pursue creative approaches as they contemplate their memories and life experiences.

Genre: Non-fiction and creative non-fiction. Submissions of autobiography, biography, memoir, and essays

Open to: Writers across Australasia, at all stages of their journey; including emerging and established writers.

Deadline: July 31, 2022

Word Limit: Entries should not exceed 3,500 words.

Entry Fee: $20 AUD

Prize: The winner will receive a $500 AUD cash prize, a one-year subscription to Westerly , and conference fees to attend the annual conference of the AAWP, where the winner is invited to read their work.

Entry is via: https://meniscusliteraryjournal.submittable.com/submit

For further information visit: http://www.aawp.org.au/news/opportunities/

Australasian Association of Writing Programs AAWP/Express Media Sudden Writing Prize

Genre: Short-short fiction, sudden fiction, sketchy stories, creative nonfiction and poetry.

Theme: Open

Open to: Emerging writers under 25 years of age across Australasia.

Deadline: Midnight July 31, 2022

Word limit: Up to 400 words prose, 40 lines for poetry, 200 words for prose poems.

Entry fee: $5 AUD

Prize: The winner receives $500 AUD, and a Voiceworks subscription, and a one-year membership to the AAWP. The winning work is published on the Express Media website.

The Unsealed

Write a letter to your children/ child or future children about what you want them to know about you.

Genre: Non-Fiction

Theme:  The letter must be a true story about your life

Open to: You must be over 18 and a member of The Unsealed Community. 

Deadline: Midnight October 3, 2022

Word limit: From 500 – 1,000 words

Entry fee: $5 USD

Prize: First Place $250 USD Second place $100 USD

Poetry Competitions

The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award

The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is one of the biggest poetry competitions in the world for 11-17 year olds

Open to: International writers aged from 1 – 17-years

Word limit: Any length and any style

Entry fee: Free and submit as many entries as you wish

Genre: Open to 11- 17 year olds,

Word limit: submit as many poems of any length as they like, on any theme

Entry fee: Free

Prize: The top 15 Foyle winners are invited to attend a week-long writing retreat or receive alternative mentoring. All 100 winners will receive a year’s Youth Membership of the Poetry Society and a range of books.

The 2022 Venie Holmgren Environmental Poetry Prize

Theme: Poems must have an environmental theme and be written in English

Open to: Entrants must be citizens of Australia or have permanent residency in Australia.

Deadline: 11.59pm August 10, 2022

Word limit: Poems must be no more than 80 lines of text

Entry fee: $10 AUD for each entry

Prize: $1,000 AUD The winning poems will be published on www.holmgren.com.au and in Rabbit

This is an Australian literary award highlighting innovation in literature and publishing by encouraging writers who are producing poems for a digital medium.

Genre: Unknown

Theme: Works of poetry published in the first instance online or in an electronic format that can be accessed on a computer, tablet or mobile device.

Open to: Entries must be submitted by authors that are Australian residents over 16 years of age.

Word limit: Maximum 3000 words. No minimum word count

Prize: $1,000 AUD

Oxford Brookes Poetry Centre – International Poetry Competition

Open to: New and established poets from around the world aged 18 or over at the time of entering in two categories:

• Open category (open to all poets aged 18 years and over)
• English as an Additional Language (EAL) category (open to all poets aged 18 and over who write in English as an Additional Language.

Word limit: All poems must have a title and not exceed 50 lines in length (excluding title.)

Entry fee: The first three poems submitted cost £5 per poem. Subsequent entries in the same submission cost £4 per poem. Entrants may submit a maximum of ten poems, following the instructions in the Oxford Brookes Shop.

Prize: The winners of each category will receive £1,000 and both runners up £200.

2022 Alice Sinclair Writing Competition – Poetry

Word limit: Free or traditional to 50 lines

Entry fee: $15 AUD for each entry (maximum two entries per entrant)

Prize: $150 AUD + certificate for first; $100 AUD+ certificate for second; Certificate for third (most commended).

Anthology Poetry Award

Theme: Dreams

Open to: Poets of all nationalities, living anywhere in the world

Deadline: Midnight October 31, 2022

Word limit: 40 lines

Entry fee: Early Bird : 31 July 2022 – €10 per poem After that is €15 per poem

Deadline: 31 October 2022 

Prize: The winner will receive a €500 cash prize and have their work published in a future issue of Anthology . The winner will also receive a one-year subscription to Anthology magazine.

The National Poetry Competition 2022

Theme: Any must be written in English

Open to: Poets worldwide aged 18 or over.

Deadline: October 31, 2022

Word limit: Must not exceed 40 lines (excluding title)

Entry fee: The first poem submitted costs £7. Subsequent entries in the same submission cost £5 per poem.

Prize: Ten Prizes:

• 1st prize: £5,000

• 2nd prize: £2,000

• 3rd prize: £1,000

• Commendations: £200

The Moth Poetry Prize 2022

The Moth is an international arts and literature magazine, based in Ireland. The Moth Poetry prize is considered one of the most prestigious prizes for an unpublished poem.

Theme: Any subject. The poem must be original and previously unpublished and written in English.

Open to: Anyone over the age of 16. 

Deadline: December 31, 2022

Word limit: No line limit

Entry fee: 15 € per poem subsequent entries in the same submission cost £5 per poem.

Prize: 

• The overall winner  € 6,000 is to be announced at a special award ceremony at Poetry Ireland in Dublin in the spring of 2023.
• 3 runner-up prizes of €1,000
• 8 prizes of €250 for commended poems

About the writer:

Jennifer Johnston is a freelance writer who writes about travel, people, business, the environment, culture, history, health, and wellbeing. She also is a content creator. Jennifer lives in Brisbane, and she loves sharing her stories to inspire others to be curious and seek out new adventures.

You can find more about Jennifer  at her blog  or on connect with her on  Instagram

Previous Post Opinion writing - Everything you need to know

Next post grant writing jobs: how to break into grant writing, you may also like.

• Pitch Perfect database
• Personal essay
• Travel writing
• Foundations of freelance writing
• Write Earn Thrive

Recent posts

• How to transition from journalism to copywriting November 2, 2023
• How to write a white paper October 24, 2023
• Content writing or copywriting – what’s the difference? October 6, 2023
• Privacy policy
• Terms and Conditions
• Terms and conditions for WRITE.EARN.THRIVE
• Foundations
• Personal Essay
• Write for magazines

© 2024 The Freelancer's Year. © Copyright Lindy Alexander 2017-23. All Rights Reserved.

There’s never been a better time to be a freelancer. But how do you make the leap from writing as a hobby to full time freelancing? The Freelancer’s Year has all the tips and tricks you need to be a successful freelance writer.

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

FREE Poetry Worksheet Bundle! Perfect for National Poetry Month.

The Best Student Writing Contests for 2023-2024

Help your students take their writing to the next level.

When students write for teachers, it can feel like an assignment. When they write for a real purpose, they are empowered! Student writing contests are a challenging and inspiring way to try writing for an authentic audience— a real panel of judges —and the possibility of prize money or other incentives. We’ve gathered a list of the best student writing contests, and there’s something for everyone. Prepare highly motivated kids in need of an authentic writing mentor, and watch the words flow.

1.  The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

With a wide range of categories—from critical essays to science fiction and fantasy—The Scholastic Awards are a mainstay of student contests. Each category has its own rules and word counts, so be sure to check out the options  before you decide which one is best for your students.

How To Enter

Students in grades 7-12, ages 13 and up, may begin submitting work in September by uploading to an online account at Scholastic and connecting to their local region. There are entry fees, but those can be waived for students in need.

2.  YoungArts National Arts Competition

This ends soon, but if you have students who are ready to submit, it’s worth it. YoungArts offers a national competition in the categories of creative nonfiction, novel, play or script, poetry, short story, and spoken word. Student winners may receive awards of up to $10,000 as well as the chance to participate in artistic development with leaders in their fields.

YoungArts accepts submissions in each category through October 13. Students submit their work online and pay a $35 fee (there is a fee waiver option).

3. National Youth Foundation Programs

Each year, awards are given for Student Book Scholars, Amazing Women, and the “I Matter” Poetry & Art competition. This is a great chance for kids to express themselves with joy and strength.

The rules, prizes, and deadlines vary, so check out the website for more info.

4.  American Foreign Service National High School Essay Contest

If you’re looking to help students take a deep dive into international relations, history, and writing, look no further than this essay contest. Winners receive a voyage with the Semester at Sea program and a trip to Washington, DC.

Students fill out a registration form online, and a teacher or sponsor is required. The deadline to enter is the first week of April.

5.  John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

This annual contest invites students to write about a political official’s act of political courage that occurred after Kennedy’s birth in 1917. The winner receives $10,000, and 16 runners-up also receive a variety of cash prizes.

Students may submit a 700- to 1,000-word essay through January 12. The essay must feature more than five sources and a full bibliography.

6. Bennington Young Writers Awards

Bennington College offers competitions in three categories: poetry (a group of three poems), fiction (a short story or one-act play), and nonfiction (a personal or academic essay). First-place winners receive $500. Grab a poster for your classroom here .

The contest runs from September 1 to November 1. The website links to a student registration form.

7. The Princeton Ten-Minute Play Contest

Looking for student writing contests for budding playwrights? This exclusive competition, which is open only to high school juniors, is judged by the theater faculty of Princeton University. Students submit short plays in an effort to win recognition and cash prizes of up to $500. ( Note: Only open to 11th graders. )

Students submit one 10-page play script online or by mail. The deadline is the end of March. Contest details will be published in early 2024.

8. Princeton University Poetry Contest for High School Students

The Leonard L. Milberg ’53 High School Poetry Prize recognizes outstanding work by student writers in 11th grade. Prizes range from $100 to $500.

Students in 11th grade can submit their poetry. Contest details will be published this fall.

9. The New York Times Tiny Memoir Contest

This contest is also a wonderful writing challenge, and the New York Times includes lots of resources and models for students to be able to do their best work. They’ve even made a classroom poster !

Submissions need to be made electronically by November 1.

10.  Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest

The deadline for this contest is the end of October. Sponsored by Hollins University, the Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest awards prizes for the best poems submitted by young women who are sophomores or juniors in high school or preparatory school. Prizes include cash and scholarships. Winners are chosen by students and faculty members in the creative writing program at Hollins.

Students may submit either one or two poems using the online form.

11.  The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers

The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers is open to high school sophomores and juniors, and the winner receives a full scholarship to a  Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop .

Submissions for the prize are accepted electronically from November 1 through November 30.

12. Jane Austen Society Essay Contest

High school students can win up to $1,000 and publication by entering an essay on a topic specified by the Jane Austen Society related to a Jane Austen novel.

Details for the 2024 contest will be announced in November. Essay length is from six to eight pages, not including works cited.

13. Rattle Young Poets Anthology

Open to students from 15 to 18 years old who are interested in publication and exposure over monetary awards.

Teachers may choose five students for whom to submit up to four poems each on their behalf. The deadline is November 15.

14. The Black River Chapbook Competition

This is a chance for new and emerging writers to gain publication in their own professionally published chapbook, as well as $500 and free copies of the book.

There is an $18 entry fee, and submissions are made online.

15. YouthPlays New Voices

For students under 18, the YouthPlays one-act competition is designed for young writers to create new works for the stage. Winners receive cash awards and publication.

Scroll all the way down their web page for information on the contest, which accepts non-musical plays between 10 and 40 minutes long, submitted electronically. Entries open each year in January.

16. The Ocean Awareness Contest

The 2024 Ocean Awareness Contest, Tell Your Climate Story , encourages students to write their own unique climate story. They are asking for creative expressions of students’ personal experiences, insights, or perceptions about climate change. Students are eligible for a wide range of monetary prizes up to $1,000.

Students from 11 to 18 years old may submit work in the categories of art, creative writing, poetry and spoken word, film, interactive media and multimedia, or music and dance, accompanied by a reflection. The deadline is June 13.

17. EngineerGirl Annual Essay Contest

Each year, EngineerGirl sponsors an essay contest with topics centered on the impact of engineering on the world, and students can win up to $500 in prize money. This contest is a nice bridge between ELA and STEM and great for teachers interested in incorporating an interdisciplinary project into their curriculum. The new contest asks for pieces describing the life cycle of an everyday object. Check out these tips for integrating the content into your classroom .

Students submit their work electronically by February 1. Check out the full list of rules and requirements here .

18. NCTE Student Writing Awards

The National Council of Teachers of English offers several student writing awards, including Achievement Awards in Writing (for 10th- and 11th-grade students), Promising Young Writers (for 8th-grade students), and an award to recognize Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines.

Deadlines range from October 28 to February 15. Check out NCTE.org for more details.

19. See Us, Support Us Art Contest

Children of incarcerated parents can submit artwork, poetry, photos, videos, and more. Submissions are free and the website has a great collection of past winners.

Students can submit their entries via social media or email by October 25.

20. The Adroit Prizes for Poetry & Prose

The Adroit Journal, an education-minded nonprofit publication, awards annual prizes for poetry and prose to exceptional high school and college students. Adroit charges an entry fee but also provides a form for financial assistance.

Sign up at the website for updates for the next round of submissions.

21. National PTA Reflections Awards

The National PTA offers a variety of awards, including one for literature, in their annual Reflections Contest. Students of all ages can submit entries on the specified topic to their local PTA Reflections program. From there, winners move to the local area, state, and national levels. National-level awards include an $800 prize and a trip to the National PTA Convention.

This program requires submitting to PTAs who participate in the program. Check your school’s PTA for their deadlines.

22. World Historian Student Essay Competition

The World Historian Student Essay Competition is an international contest open to students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, as well as those in home-study programs. The $500 prize is based on an essay that addresses one of this year’s two prompts.

Students can submit entries via email or regular mail before May 1.

23. NSHSS Creative Writing Scholarship

The National Society of High School Scholars awards three $2,000 scholarships for both poetry and fiction. They accept poetry, short stories, and graphic novel writing.

Apply online by October 31.

Whether you let your students blog, start a podcast or video channel, or enter student writing contests, giving them an authentic audience for their work is always a powerful classroom choice.

If you like this list of student writing contests and want more articles like it, subscribe to our newsletters to find out when they’re posted!

Plus, check out our favorite anchor charts for teaching writing..

You Might Also Like

Best 2024 Competitions for Students in Grades K-12

Competitions in STEM, ELA and the arts, and more! Continue Reading

Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

2022 ESSAY CONTESTS

FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

$3000, $1500, AND $750 PRIZES

This year the Kemper Human Rights Education Foundation (khref.org) is offering first, second, and third place prizes of $3000, $1500, and $750 to high school students judged to have written the best answers to the following question:

Respect for human rights seems to be eroding in many countries. Do you agree?  If so, provide examples and explain what you think is the major cause of the problem and how it should be addressed?  If you disagree, explain the reason you disagree. 

There are two contests: one for students in the U.S. and one for students who are citizens and residents of other countries. Essays will be judged according to how well they answer the question posed and the extent to which they are supported by research.

Essays will be judged according to how clearly and well they answer the question posed and the extent to which they are supported by research. They are due on or before December 10, 2022 (Human Rights Day) and should: 1. be 2500 words or less in length.   2.  be submitted as a Microsoft Word attachment to: [email protected] or by regular mail to: KHREF, 184 Fillow Street, Norwalk, CT 06850, USA.   3 .  include a cover page with the title, author’s name and grade level; name and address of the author’s high school; name of a teacher or administrator at the high school; and the following statement signed by the author and author’s parent or guardian: “I give the Kemper Human Rights Education Foundation permission to publish this essay.”

Winners will be announced and awards presented on January 16, 2023.

Powered by CSC VLE

• 2020 ESSAY CONTESTS
• HUMAN RIGHTS DECLARATIONS AND RESOLUTIONS
• 2016 HUMAN RIGHT ESSAY CONTEST
• THE ARTIST AND THE ASTRONAUT
• THE MARTIANS
• RICHARD M. KEMPER
• RICHARD M. KEMPER WITH HIS FATHER, ADOLPH KEMPER AND HIS SISTER, JEAN KEMPER
• CHRONOLOGY OF RMK PARK
• FLYER FOR STUDENTS ABROAD
• FLYER FOR U.S. STUDENTS
• PRIVACY POLICY
• #104839 (no title)
• #104852 (no title)
• 2019 HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY CONTESTS backup
• 2021 ESSAY CONTESTS
• Audio Clips
• COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAMS, HUMAN RIGHTS SYLLABI AND, HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS
• HUMAN RIGHTS ART
• HUMAN RIGHTS POETRY
• HUMAN RIGHS LITERATURE
• HUMAN RIGHTS MUSIC
• Rule Naiveté
• DEFINITION AND HISTORY OF HUMAN RIGHTS
• PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN RIGHTS
• CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
• MATHEMATICS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
• LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS
• HUMAN RIGHTS FILMS
• HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS CAREERS
• CAPITALISM, SOCIALISM, AND HUMAN RIGHTS
• OUR MISSION AND OUR BOARD – Backup
• ESSAY CONTESTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
• DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
• NATIONALISM AND HUMAN RIGHTS
• ESSAY CONTEST HISTORY
• 2022 WINNERS
• STATISTICS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
• 2023 ESSAY CONTESTS FLYER
• CONSILIENCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
• Is “Human Rights” a Western Concept?
• SCIENCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
• 2023 ESSAY EXCERPTS
• 2023 WINNING ESSAYS
• Audio Clips – Copy 2
• 2024 WINNING ESSAYS

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 17 best writing contests for high school students.

Other High School

If you're a writer—fiction, non-fiction, or fanfiction—you can put those skills to work for you. There are tons of writing contests for high school students, which can award everything from medals to cash prizes to scholarships if you win .

Not only will a little extra money, whether cash or scholarships, help you when it comes time to pay for college, but the prestige of a respected reward is also a great thing to include on your college application.

Read on to learn more about what writing contests for high school students there are, how to apply, and what you could win !

Writing Contests With Multiple Categories

Some high school contests accept entries in a variety of formats, including the standard fiction and non-fiction, but also things like screenwriting or visual art. Check out these contests with multiple categories:

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

• Award Amount: $1,000 to $12,500 scholarships
• Deadline: Varies between December and January, depending on your region
• Fee: $10 for single entry, $30 for portfolio

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards celebrate art by students in grades seven through twelve (age 13 or older) on a regional and national scale. These awards have a huge number of categories and styles, including cash prizes or scholarships for some distinguished award winners . Categories include science-fiction and fantasy writing, humor, critical essays, and dramatic scripts, among others.

Deadlines vary by region (but are mostly in December and January), so use Scholastic's Affiliate Partner search to find out when projects are due for your area.

Scholastic partners with other organizations to provide prizes to winners, so what you can win depends on what you enter and what competition level you reach. Gold medal portfolio winners can earn a $12,500 scholarship, and silver medal winners with distinction can earn a $2,000 scholarship , as well as many other options in different categories.

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are open to private, public, or home-schooled students attending school in the US, Canada, or American schools in other countries. Students must be in grades seven through twelve to participate. Eligibility varies between regions, so consult Scholastic's Affiliate Partner search tool to figure out what applies to you .

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards have a $10 entry fee for individual submissions and $30 for portfolio submissions, which may be waived for students in need . These fees may vary depending on location, so be sure to check your local guidelines .

Ocean Awareness Contest

• Award Amount: Scholarships up to $1,500
• Deadline: June 13, 2023 (submissions open in September)

The Ocean Awareness Contest asks students to consider the future of a coastal or marine species that is under threat from climate change. Submissions are accepted in a variety of art forms, but all must consider the way that climate change impacts ocean life .

Submissions for all categories, including art, creative writing, film, interactive and multimedia, music and dance, and poetry and spoken word are due in June, although the exact date varies slightly each year.

Winners may receive prizes of up to a $1,500 scholarship , depending on which division they fall into and what prize they win.

The contest is open to all international and US students between the ages of 11 and 18.

River of Words

• Award: Publication in the River of Words anthology
• Deadline: January 31, 2023

The River of Words contest asks students to consider watersheds—an area that drains into the same body of water—and how they connect with their local community. Students can explore this concept in art or poetry, with winners being published in the annual River of Words anthology .

Entries in all categories must be submitted by January 31, 2023. 

The River of Words contest is primarily for recognition and publication, as the website doesn't list any prize money . The contest includes specific awards for certain forms, such as poetry, some of which may have additional prizes .

The contest is open to International and US students from kindergarten to grade 12 (ages 5 through 19). Students who have graduated from high school but are not yet in college are also eligible.

Adroit Prizes

• Award Amount: $200 cash award
• Deadline: Typically April of each year

Sponsored by the Adroit Journal, the Adroit Prizes reward high school students and undergraduate students for producing exemplary fiction and poetry. Students may submit up to six poems or three works of prose (totaling 3,500 words) for consideration. Submissions typically open in spring .

Winners receive $200 and (along with runners-up) have their works published in the Adroit Journal . Finalists and runners-up receive a copy of their judge's latest published work.

The contest is open to secondary and undergraduate students, including international students and those who have graduated early . The Adroit Prizes has a non-refundable fee of $15, which can be waived.

YoungArts Competition

• Award Amount: Up to $10,000 cash awards
• Deadline: October 15, 2022; application for 2024 opens June 2023

Open to students in a variety of disciplines, including visual arts, writing, and music, the YoungArts competition asks students to submit a portfolio of work. Additional requirements may apply depending on what artistic discipline you're in .

Winners can receive up to $10,000 in cash as well as professional development help, mentorship, and other educational rewards.

Applicants must be 15- to 18-year-old US citizens or permanent residents (including green card holders) or in grades 10 through 12 at the time of submission . There is a $35 submission fee, which can be waived.

Fiction Writing Contests for High School Students

Many contests with multiple categories accept fiction submissions, so also check out the above contests if you're looking for places to submit original prose.

EngineerGirl Writing Contest

• Award Amount: $100 - $500 cash prize
• Deadline: February 1, 2023

This year's EngineerGirl Writing Contest asks students (though the name of the organization is "EngineerGirl," students of any gender may participate) to submit a piece of writing that shows how female and/or non-white engineers have contributed to or can enhance engineering’s great achievements. Word counts vary depending on grade level.

At every grade level, first-place winners will receive $500, second-place winners will receive $250, and third-place winners will receive $100 . Winning entries and honorable mentions will also be published on the EngineerGirl website.

Students of any gender from third to 12th grade may submit to this contest. Home-schooled and international students are also eligible.

Nonfiction Contests for High School Students

Like fiction, non-fiction is often also accepted in contests with multiple categories. However, there are quite a few contests accepting only non-fiction essays as well.

The American Foreign Services Association Essay Contest

• Award Amount: $1,250 to $2,500
• Deadline: April 3, 2023

The American Foreign Services Association sponsors a high school essay contest tasking students with selecting a country or region in which the United States Foreign Service has been involved at any point since 1924 and describe, in 1,500 words or less, how the Foreign Service was successful or unsuccessful in advancing American foreign policy goals in this country/region and propose ways in which it might continue to improve those goals in the coming years .

One winner will receive $2,500 as well as a Washington D.C. trip and a scholarship to attend Semester at Sea . One runner-up receives $1,250 and a scholarship to attend the International Diplomacy Program of the National Student Leadership Conference.

Entries must be from US students in grade nine through 12, including students in the District of Columbia, US territories, or US citizens attending school abroad, including home-schooled students.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Contest

• Award Amount: $100 - $10,000
• Deadline: January 13, 2023

The John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage contest tasks students with writing an essay between 700 and 1,000 words on an act of political courage by a US elected official serving during or after 1917 , inspired by John F. Kennedy's Profiles in Courage . Each essay should cover the act itself as well as any obstacles or risks the subject faced in achieving their act of courage. Essays must not cover figures previously covered in the contest, and should also not cover John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, or Edward M. Kennedy.

One first-place winner will receive $10,000, one second-place winner will receive $3,000, five finalists will receive $1,000 each, and eight semi-finalists will win $100 each.

The contest is open to students in grades nine through 12 who are residents of the United States attending public, private, parochial, or home schools . Students under the age of 20 in correspondence high school programs or GED programs, as well as students in US territories, Washington D.C., and students studying abroad, are also eligible.

SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest

• Award Amount: $300 - $1,000 scholarships
• Deadline: February 19, 2023 (submissions open in November)

The SPJ/JEA high school essay contest , organized by the Society of Professional Journalists and the Journalism Education Association, asks students to  analyze the importance of independent media to our lives (as of now, the official essay topic for spring 2023 is TBD) . Essays should be from 300 to 500 words.

A $1,000 scholarship is given to a first-place winner, $500 to second-place, and $300 to third-place.

The contest is open to public, private, and home-schooled students of the United States in grades 9-12 .

Playwriting Contests for High School Students

For those who love the stage, playwriting contests are a great option. An original play can earn you great rewards thanks to any of these contests!

VSA Playwright Discovery Program Competition

• Award: Participation in professional development activities at the Kennedy Center
• Deadline: January 4, 2023 (Application opens in October)

The VSA Playwright Discovery Program Competition asks students with disabilities to submit a ten-minute script exploring their personal experiences, including the disability experience . Scripts may be realistic, fictional, or abstract, and may include plays, screenplays, or musical theater.

All entries are due in January. Scripts may be collaborative or written by individuals, but must include at least one person with a disability as part of the group .

One winner or group of winners will be selected as participants in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Winners will have access to professional assistance in developing their script as well as workshops and networking opportunities.

This contest is open to US and international students in ages 14 to 18 . Groups of up to five members may collaborate on an essay, but at least one of those students must have a disability.

Worldwide Plays Festival Competition

• Award: Professional production in New York
• Deadline: March (official 2023 deadline TBD)

In the Worldwide Plays Festival Competition , students from around the world can submit an eight-minute script for a play set in a part of a neighborhood —specifically, at a convenience store, outside a character's front door, or at a place where people convene. Each play must have roles for three actors, should not have a narrator who isn't also a character, and should not contain set changes.

Entries are due in February. Winners will have their play produced by professionals at an off-Broadway New York theater . Scholarships are also available for winners.

Any student, including US and international, in first through 12th grade may submit work for consideration.

• Award Amount: $50 - $200 cash prize
• Deadline: 2023 deadline TBD (application opens January 2023)

Students may submit a one-act, non-musical play of at least ten pages to YouthPLAYS for consideration . Plays should be appropriate for high school audiences and contain at least two characters, with one or more of those characters being youths in age-appropriate roles. Large casts with multiple female roles are encouraged.

One winner will receive $250, have their play published by YouthPLAYS, and receive a copy of Great Dialog , a program for writing dialog. One runner up will receive $100 and a copy of Great Dialog.

Students must be under the age of 19, and plays must be the work of a single author.

The Lewis Center Ten-Minute Play Contest

• Deadline: Spring of each year

Students in grade 11 may submit a ten-minute play for consideration for the Lewis Center Ten-Minute Play Contest . Plays should be 10 pages long, equivalent to 10 minutes.

One first-prize winner will receive $500, one second-prize winner will receive $250, and one third-prize will receive $100.

All entries must be from students in the 11th grade .

Poetry Writing Contests for High School Students

For those who prefer a little free verse or the constraints of a haiku, there are plenty of poetry-specific contests, too.

Creative Communications Poetry Contest

• Award Amount: $25
• Deadline: December

Students in ninth grade or below may submit any poem of 21 lines or less (not counting spaces between stanzas) for consideration in the Creative Communications Poetry Contest .

Students may win $25, a free book, and school supplies for their teacher .

Public, private, or home-schooled US students (including those in detention centers) in kindergarten through ninth grade may enter.

Leonard L. Milberg '53 High School Poetry Prize

• Award Amount: $500-$1500
• Deadline: November 

Students in 11th grade may submit up to three poems for consideration in the Leonard L. Milberg '53 High School Poetry Prize . Submissions are due in November .

One first-prize winner will receive $1500, one second-prize winner will receive $750, and a third-prize winner will receive $500. Poems may be published on arts.princeton.edu. All entrants must be in the 11th grade.

Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest

• Award Amount: $500 - $5,000 renewable scholarship, $350 cash prize
• Deadline: October 31, 2022

Women poets who are sophomores or juniors in high school may submit two poems for consideration for the Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest .

One first-place winner will receive a $350 cash prize, publication in and ten copies of Cargoes , Hollins' student magazine, as well as a renewable scholarship of up to $5,000 for Hollins and free tuition and housing for the Hollinsummer creative writing program. One second-place winner will receive publication in and two copies of Cargoes, a renewable scholarship to Hollins of up to $1,000, and a $500 scholarship to attend Hollinsummer.

Applicants must be female students in their sophomore or junior year of high school .

What's Next?

If you're looking for more money opportunities for college , there are plenty of scholarships out there— including some pretty weird ones .

For those who've been buffing up their test scores , there are tons of scholarships , some in the thousands of dollars.

If you're tired of writing essays and applying for scholarships, consider some of these colleges that offer complete financial aid packages .

Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

Student and Parent Forum

Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com , allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Congressional Seminar Essay Contest for High School Students

In winning the writing competition, win a Scholarship for the Congressional Seminar in Washington, D.C. from June 24-28, 2024.

The Congressional Essay Contest (CEC) is run by NSCDA Corporate Societies and Town Committees across the United States. Freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior year high school students submit essays that are then judged and awarded. Students must be 16 or older to participate in the Congressional Seminar.

The essay topic changes annually. For this year’s contest (2023-2024) the NSCDA asks students to answer the prompt:

“Why did the nation’s founders choose a government with separated powers rather than a parliamentary system?”

Winners receive full tuition and support for travel to our nation’s capital for the Workshops Foundation’s renown Congressional Seminar, a highly interactive, civic-focused workshop. The seminar includes a Mock Congress, enabling students to collaborate with peers from various backgrounds and different views to forge public policy on pressing national and international issues. The seminar provides university campus housing and meals; a per diem for meals purchased off-campus; and access to world class museums, government and congressional offices, and memorable tours. Are you curious about what to expect on this trip? Watch this 4:30 minute video . This is a sample itinerary of the trip.

Learn more about the Workshops Foundation .

2024 contest information

• 2024 application
• 2024 contest rules and information
• Write a compelling 750 word essay (judging criteria can be found on page 2)
• Applications are due December 1

Note: Children and grandchildren of an active member of The NSCDA may not receive a scholarship to the Congressional Seminar. They are still eligible to participate at their own expense. See below for further details and application or email Mary Bradshaw, NSCDA Congressional Essay Consultant, at  [email protected]  for more information.

• Legacy Scholar information
• 2024 Legacy Scholar application
• Legacy Scholar payment form

2024 Poster for your classrooms

We look forward to reading your class submissions!

In grateful appreciation to Linda R. Monk, J.D., Constitutional Scholar ( www.lindamonk.com ), for her contribution to the wording of the topic.

Encourage your students to complete and submit their application for 2024 .

Email Mary Bradshaw, NSCDA Congressional Essay Consultant, at [email protected] for more information or if you have any questions.

Donations to this Essay Contest are greatly appreciated.

Congressional Seminar Essay Contest Gallery

• 2024 SBO+ Essay Contest
• Past Issues
• College Search
• New Products
• Travel/Festivals
• Fundraising
• Playing Tips
• Modern Band
• MusicEd: Mentor Minute
• Wind Talkers
• Tone Deaf Comics
• Perspective
• Directors Who Make a Difference
• Editorial Submissions
• Submit a Playing Tip
• On the Road Submissions

2023 Essay Contest Now Open!

For the first time ever, the sbo+ essay contest is open to instrumental and vocal students across the usa.

With the generous support of the NAMM Foundation, Alfred, MakeMusic, Hal Leonard, Yamaha, Casio, Focusrite and Adam Audio, we are again offering massive prizes for the music educator who has a student with a winning entry, and $1000.00 cash to each of ten students who submitted a winning essay. Click to enter, through April 30, 2023 .

February 2024

January 2024

December 2023

Change location, find awesome listings near you.

Humanities Center

Think clearly. Act well. Appreciate life.

2024 BYU Humanities Center Essay Contest

Theme: Creativity and Resilience

Word Count: 1,000 words maximum

Deadline: March 14, 2024

Prompt: The Humanities often require us to think creatively about the kind of work we do and the way we approach this work. How has this creative reflection helped you become more resilient?

• 1st Place: $500
• Runner-up: $250

Both undergraduate and graduate students are invited to participate. Please send all submissions and any questions to [email protected]

Things to Consider:

• Synthesize your personal experience with other thinkers or ideas. You are encouraged to include a secondary source, but it is not required.
• Focus on one key event or moment from your humanities education. This could be a memorable experience in a class or a museum, or a striking idea you pulled from a literary work or piece of art.
• Resilience has many definitions—any of which you might consider referencing. Biologists, for example, discuss resilience as the “return rate to equilibrium,” while psychologists speak of resilience in terms of “bouncing-back” and recovery. In this sense, researchers frequently identify resilience both as (1) flexibility, adaptability, and the capacity to transform, and (2) a kind of recovery, a form of healing. In other words, resilient individuals—and resilient communities—manifest the ability to respond to complexity, uncertainty, pain, and ever-changing environments in ways that promote healing and wholeness.
• Creativity also has many definitions you might consider referencing. Morris Stein wrote that “Creativity is the act of making things or solving problems in ways that are both new and useful,” while Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi found that creativity was commonly used to refer to people who express unusual, interesting, or novel perspectives and ideas. According to these definitions, creativity is closely related to (1) a sense of usefulness, and (2) a sense of newness. There are many ways in which something could be useful or new, especially when we consider that the term “creative” does not only describe people, but may also describe objects and activities as well.

Recent Posts

• All Shades of Purple
• Crossing the Threshold
• Indecisiveness: How Reading about Monsters Helped Me Recognize My Own
• Changes, Transitions, Decisions
• The Fire in the Forge: How Trials Help Us Grow

Recent Comments

• February 2024
• January 2024
• December 2023
• November 2023
• October 2023
• September 2023
• February 2023
• January 2023
• December 2022
• November 2022
• October 2022
• September 2022
• August 2022
• February 2022
• January 2022
• December 2021
• November 2021
• October 2021
• September 2021
• February 2021
• January 2021
• December 2020
• November 2020
• October 2020
• September 2020
• August 2020
• February 2020
• January 2020
• December 2019
• November 2019
• October 2019
• September 2019
• August 2019
• February 2019
• January 2019
• December 2018
• November 2018
• October 2018
• September 2018
• August 2018
• February 2018
• January 2018
• December 2017
• November 2017
• October 2017
• September 2017
• August 2017
• February 2017
• January 2017
• December 2016
• November 2016
• October 2016
• September 2016
• February 2016
• January 2016
• December 2015
• November 2015
• October 2015
• September 2015
• August 2015
• February 2015
• January 2015
• December 2014
• November 2014
• October 2014
• September 2014
• February 2014
• January 2014
• December 2013
• November 2013
• October 2013
• September 2013
• February 2013
• January 2013
• November 2012
• September 2012
• Community Collaborations
• Conversations
• Faculty Resources
• Faith and Imagination
• Featured Faculty
• Featured Outreach
• Featured Projects
• Homepage Features
• Humanities Center Blog
• Humanities Center Events
• Public Humanities
• Public Schools
• Uncategorized
• Undergraduate Research Symposium

JCPenney joins digital collections

• Publication date April 15, 2024
• Categories: DeGolyer Library , Special Collections , Uncategorized
• Categories: Manuscripts , Photography , Primary Resources

Over 122 years ago, James C. Penney opened his first store in Kemmerer, Wyoming. We have launched a new digital collection of photographs of JCPenney stores, photographs of Mr. Penney or his projects, and a sampling of the first JCPenney newspaper for associates (employees) called The Dynamo .

SMU received the JCPenney collections in 2004. The JCPenney corporate collection (A 2004.0007)  includes over 1,200 boxes of materials ranging from speeches, annual reports, training manuals, advertisements, press releases, correspondence, but here we will be showcasing store photographs. We have over 10,000 images of JCPenney stores, so this small sampling is just the beginning.

Something that you might not expect in the collection are photographs and company newspaper stories about celebrities. Celebrities that had promotional events or projects with the Company include Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Ginger Rogers, Ellen DeGeneres, Kenny Rogers, and Willie Nelson. Celebrities who modeled for commercials, advertisements, or catalog include Luke Perry, Ashley Tisdale, and Phoebe Cates.

Mr Penney’s papers (A2004.0006) include his high school essays, speeches, correspondence, photographs, and information about his family and his interests in agriculture. A subset of the images include his charitable activities especially the Penney Retirement Community founded for retired clergy and missionaries. Penney Farms, a visionary program to train farmers which Mr. Penney started and funded right before the Depression, also is featured in the collection. Both of these projects were located in Florida, south of Jacksonville.

The Dynamo samples are here. Published from 1917 to 1932, this first publication by and for JCPenney associates had inspirational messages from Mr. Penney and others, news of the stores, and articles by store managers telling how they increased sales. There are also lists and pictures of store managers, columns featuring letters from women associates, and merchandise buyers teaching about lines of merchandise. The last page always featured a map of the United States showing the locations and growth of the stores. Later employee publications were Pay Day , Penney News , JCPenney Today , and JCPeople .

We’ll be adding to this collection slowly, mostly when people request images of store locations. For more information, please contact [email protected].

Subscribe By Email

Get a weekly email of all new posts.

Your Email Leave this field blank

This form is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.