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The 2024 REAL SIMPLE Beauty Award Winners Are Here! Find Your New Favorite Products

With the help of RS staffers and superfan readers from around the country, we tested a year's worth of skin, hair, and makeup products. Here are the 25 winners that will make your beauty routine a breeze.

Heather Muir Maffei brings more than 15 years of beauty know-how to readers at Real Simple and Health magazines as beauty director. She has worked at Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Allure, Fitness Magazine, and more. Highlights: * Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies from University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown * Beauty writer and editor for more than 15 years * Appearances made as a beauty expert for television segments, including the Today Show and New York Live * Live New York Fashion Week coverage on behalf of Allure Magazine

As the Beauty Director at REAL SIMPLE, I spent the last few months doling out the latest skin, makeup, and hair formulas to my fellow staffers and our superfan readers around the country, ranging from ages 16 to 65. Below are the winners that wowed us with the most glowing reviews.

CHELSEA KYLE, PROP STYLING BY SOPHIE STRANGIO

Best Day Serum: Saint Jane Star Flower Niacinamide Serum

Most serums that actually work come with a drawback—they sting or cause peeling. This gentle option doesn’t do either. And it soothes my redness while giving me a well-rested glow, despite my total lack of sleep (toddlers are fun!). Bonus: Micropearls burst on contact, delivering a potent pop of brightening niacinamide.

To buy: $95; saintjanebeauty.com .

Best Lipstick: Westman Atelier Lip Suede Matte Lipstick

Testers swooned over the heft of this tube, the magnetic closure, and the heart-stamped stick, saying it was almost too pretty to use. Until they did…and then they never looked back. “She glides on, leaving lips matte yet moisturized,” Features Director Amy Maclin says. “The mirror in the cap makes for easy application while in an Uber.”

To buy: $50; westman-atelier.com .

Best Jawline & Neck Treatment: SickScience Shapeshift V Line Jaw Defining Serum

This gel is “brilliant,” says reader Cathy Vix, a retired marketing specialist from Goodyear, Arizona. “I don’t have tons of wrinkles, but I’m 65 years old, and my jawline has sagged. I’ve been applying it twice daily, and I’ve noticed fewer wrinkles and less sagging.”

To buy: $58; sicksciencelabs.com .

Courtesy of Manufacturer

Best Eye Shadow: Lancome Idole Tint Liquid Eye Blusher

Get yourself a multitasker that can line and shade. This tube comes with a smart two-sided applicator, and the formula won’t crease or smudge. “This is how to do eye shadow,” Editor in Chief Lauren Iannotti says. “It doesn’t fade one bit during the day!”

To buy: $30; lancome-usa.com .

Best Cleanser: Burt's Bees Nourishing Cleansing Oil

Reader Jill Johnston, a retired community relations and education coordinator also from Goodyear, Arizona, raves, “I really enjoy using this. It doesn’t leave my oily skin oily—just nourished and soft. It has a slight herbal scent and gently removes my makeup, even around my eyes.”

To buy: $16; burtsbees.com .

Best Face Moisturizer: Drunk Elephant Bora Barrier Repair Cream

Testers were delighted by the pump applicator—one press portions out the right amount and keeps things sanitary (no dunking fingers into the tub!). Reader Nikki McIntosh, a writer in Southern California, calls the ceramide-loaded cream “a total dream,” adding, “I noticed a significant improvement in my dry skin’s texture. It’s the cream I didn’t know my face needed.”

To buy: $69; drunkelephant.com .

Best Mascara: WYN Beauty By Serena Williams Big Vision Lengthening & Defining Tubing Mascara

The competition was stiff (hah!), but this formula was a grand slam. (Get it? Because it’s Serena Williams’s line! Tennis!) “With just a couple of swipes, the mascara really elevates my look,” Designer Natalie Guisinger says. “It’s easy to put on and easy to take off. All you need is water.”

To buy: $19; ulta.com .

Best Foundation: Ilia Beauty Skin Rewind Complexion Stick

Available in 42 shades and packed with skin-smoothing peptides, this foundation slash-concealer stick had a waiting list of 55,000 people before it even came out, and we know why. “This is excellent,” Lauren says. “It’s the convenience of a stick, with a dewy, blurred finish that doesn’t go anywhere after a long, hard day!”

To buy: $48; i liabeauty.com .

Best Exfoliator: Paula's Choice 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant

Reader Alexandria Gilleo, a celebrity makeup artist in New York City, has nothing but praise. “It’s super gentle and great for anyone with sensitive skin,” she says. “I just got back from a week in Miami and was worried about sun damage, but this, along with an SPF, kept me clear and bright.”

To buy: $37; paulaschoice.com .

Best Scalp Treatment: The Rootist BioBrew Fermented Strengthening Serum

Made without added water (which would dilute the amazing ingredients), this probiotic-rich serum contains fermented ginseng and reishi mushrooms to nourish dry scalps and strands. It’s a one-stop shop for shine, strength, and smoothing. Trust me.

To buy: $48; sephora.com .

Best Body Wash: Olay Cleansing & Renewing Body Wash

Thanks to the foamy lather and hardworking retinol, Production Director Filomena Guzzardi was in awe. “I’ve never experienced a body wash so luxurious,” she says. “It rinses clean and leaves my skin significantly softer.”

To buy: $9; olay.com .

Best Night Serum: Nocturnal Skincare Polar Night Renewal Serum

Huzzah! This is loaded with peptides and formulated to rev up your skin’s ability to repair itself while you snooze. It impressed reader Jessica White, a publicist in Los Angeles who has rosacea: “I love how calming it is, even while working on lines, spots, and hydration.”

To buy: $178; nocturnalskincare.com .

Best Self-Tanner: St. Tropez Self Tan Supreme Violet Bronzing Mousse

This aims to deliver an “ultradark” tan, and Senior Home Editor Hannah Baker, an avid self-tanner with fair skin, says it does just that. “I only needed one coat. I rinsed it off after eight hours, and it gave me a natural glow.”

To buy: $48; ulta.com .

Best Concealer: Fenty Beauty We're Even Hydrating Longwear Concealer

In 50 shades, this concealer provides up to 12 hours of cake-free coverage. “Did it hide my undereye circles and dark spots? It sure did!” Creative Director Phoebe Flynn Rich raves. “I love it for photos.”

To buy: $30; fentybeauty.com .

Best Eye Cream: ROC Derm Correxion Dual Eye Cream

There are two creams in here—one for the lower eyes and one for the eyelids. Meaning, you get all-around care for crepiness and bags. “I’ve already noticed a difference in my crow’s-feet after just a few weeks,” says reader Elizabeth Siegel, a teacher’s aide in Tustin, California.

To buy: $39; rocskincare.com .

Best Hot Tool: GHD Chronos Styler

“I’ve never felt less guilty about heatstyling my hair!” says reader Heather Painter, a school psychologist in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. “It smooths or waves my hair in one pass, getting me out the door quickly without frying my beloved red locks.”

To buy: $329; ghdhair.com/us .

Best Sunscreen: Lion Pose Ghostbuster 100% Mineral Sunscreen SPF 42

Here’s a glowing review from Photo Director Muzam Agha: “This is, hands down, the best sunscreen I’ve tried. As someone with a tanner skin tone, I’ve had a hard time finding a formula that keeps me from looking like a ghost. It’s hydrating but not greasy, and it brightens my complexion.”

To buy: $46; sephora.com .

Best Hair Repair Treatment: SpoiledChild M26 Damage Reverser

Formulated with collagen, argan oil, and keratin, this goes on post-shampoo and rinses out after 10 minutes for almost instant results. Reader Samantha McIntosh, a teacher in Lake Forest, California, is a believer. “It made my hair soft and shiny. It smells so good too,” she says.

To buy: $45; spoiledchild.com .

Best Brow Booster: Benefit Cosmetics Precisely, My Brow Wax

This tinted brow wax won the hearts of everyone who tried it. “This is genius,” says reader Alaina Gjertsen, a communications director in Los Angeles. “The flat side of the wand distributes the pigment; the domed side creates definition. I appreciate getting great results from one product, rather than the two I normally use.”

To buy: $27; benefitcosmetics.com .

Best Blush: Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Stain

Like an ice pop! But for your cheeks and lips! “The cooling sensation is lovely in the morning, a mood-lifting zing!” Managing Editor Tara Cox says. “I like how it colors my face with a very natural-looking, rosy flush that I can build. It’s a keeper.”

To buy: $24; milkmakeup.com .

Best Deodorant: Secret Whole Body Deodorant Cream

“Most scented deodorants smell chemical-like and heinous to me, but I found this peach vanilla scent very pleasant,” Amy says. “It has a nice, light texture and is all-day effective. I did try it on the underboob area, with surprisingly good results.”

To buy: $13; walgreens.com .

Best Shampoo & Conditioner: Dove Scalp + Hair Therapy Clarifying Shampoo and Strengthening Conditioner

“I’m a new mom and can’t be bothered to wash my hair often,” says reader Megan Cotchen, a literacy specialist in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. “The shampoo gets rid of oil, and the conditioner leaves my curls easy to comb through and soft.”

To buy: $10 each; amazon.com .

CHELSEA KYLE; PROP STYLING BY SOPHIE STRANGIO

Best Highlighter: KJH.Brand The Hyper Shine High Lite Kit

Created by celebrity makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes, this kit comes with a shimmery cream (in your choice of four shades), a shine serum (to use alone or mix with the cream), and a brush. Testers loved the lit-from-within glow that didn’t settle into fine lines. “I feel like I’ve got this subtle filter on my face. I feel angelic AF,” Muzam jokes.

To buy: $75; kjhbrand.com .

Best Styling Serum: Mane Ivy Elixir Serum

Designed to be used on dry or damp hair, this serum smooths frizz and protects against heat. “It makes my hair feel silky but not weighed down,” Jessica says. “It doubles as a perfume—I get a nice whiff of it when I move throughout the day.”

To buy: $39; maneivy.com .

Best Body Lotion: Versed Press Restart Advanced Retinol Body Butter

The Goldilocks of lotions, this whipped formula “is rich enough to hydrate my parched skin, yet it melts in quickly enough that I don’t have to wait long after the shower to get dressed,” says Katie Holzman, our in-house PR wizard.

To buy: $22; versedskin.com .

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$3,000 grand prize: real simple’s life lessons essay contest.

Real Simple Magazine is currently hosting their ninth annual Life Lessons Essay Contest. The grand prize is $3,000, and publication in their magazine. Second place is $750 and third place is $500.

According to their contest guidelines:

“Maybe you had to move cross-country after being relocated for a job, opening up new possibilities along with fears. Or maybe you needed to sell your house or leave an apartment before you expected to. How did that situation influence the rest of your life? If one unavoidable shift changed your world—for good and bad—in enduring ways, write it down and share it with Real Simple.”

The word limit is 1,500 words.

The deadline for submission is September 19th, 2016.

To learn more, read the contest rules and guidelines.

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A powerhouse of voices. A champion of different perspectives. A pipeline of talent.

A POWERHOUSE OF VOICES. A CHAMPION OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. A PIPELINE OF TALENT. This is Girls Write Now.

Connect with us, my simple realization essay contest: girls write now mentee chelsea lin published in ‘real simple’ magazine.

To usher in Women’s History Month, Girls Write Now is thrilled to partner with Dotdash Meredith for the publication of Mentee Chelsea Lin ’s essay Each Tremolo Reminds Me  in the March issue of Real Simple  magazine!

We launched our partnership with an intergenerational workshop: Dotdash Meredith employees—mentors for the day—helped Girls Write Now mentees ideate and draft essays, taking their work to the next level before submitting to the My Simple Realization Essay contest . A panel of Real Simple editors then judged the entries, selecting winners based on originality, creativity, technical writing skills and relevance to the contest theme.

Chelsea’s essay won the Grand Prize and she went on to work directly with Real Simple’s editors to prepare the piece for publication. Thirteen additional mentee winners are also published on Stories by Girls Write Now .

Congratulations to Chelsea and the 13 Finalists

Meet the grand prize winner.

Girls Write Now

For 25 years, Girls Write Now has been breaking down barriers of gender, race, age and poverty to mentor the next generation of writers and leaders who are impacting businesses, shaping culture and creating change. Thank you for joining our movement.

“Wai-Gong [Grandfather] loved the implicit beauty of traditional instruments and how they eloquently communicated centuries of Chinese history through each note. It’s now up to me to continue his legacy, and so I do.” —CHELSEA lin Mentee & My Real Simple realization Contest Winner

My Simple Realization: An Essay Contest & Story Collection

14 Girls Write Now mentees share mini- and mega-moments of clarity in these personal essays. This contest was produced in partnership with Dotdash Meredith and the team at Real Simple as part of the SeeHer Initiative.

Each Tremolo Reminds Me

Chelsea Lin, Girls Write Now Mentee and My Simple Realization contest winner, writes about her grandfather.

Stories from the Shag

My time-out rug was white, with blue squares and tassels at opposite ends.

Adolescent Forms

A depiction of my journey in asking for help, this essay is my reminder that I deserve peace and welfare in a battle against the uncertainties and anxieties of my mind.

Take Space, Make Space

While I used to feel fractured when it came to my heritage, poetry has helped me realize that these fractures are, in fact, who I am.

Rolling Through Fear: Realizations at the Rink

The time spent at the rink was too short for me to spend it wallowing in my mistakes.

The First Step Towards Making A Friend

I had no clue where I was going—let alone what academic path I truly wanted to take—so you could say I was a bit overwhelmed on my first day of college.

a lesson in pressure & prestige

Written after submitting my Early Decision application, this essay shares the epiphany I was already having—one expedited by a choice that held so much weight over my future.

‘You Don’t Owe Anyone Anything’

The reality of missing school for a whole two weeks and dealing with the stares of society.

Sometimes the Way to Win Is to Quit

“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one,” is the best compliment for an overachieving young adult trying to find their way around the world. At least it was for me.

The day I was born is the day the twin towers fell.

Rock climbing helps me realize that I am capable of beating all the “impossibles.”

I used to hate the rain

Acceptance comes after the storm. It poured and poured.

A Splash of Light

I was floating, my elbows resting on the pool’s stone ledge as the jets massaged my back. That’s the last thing I remember.

The first time I realized my parents did not hold the answers of the universe in their palms was not when I was asking obscure questions about aardvarks or pirate ships.

Inspired by a sense of urgency to elevate diverse talent across industries, Girls Write Now proudly aligns with academic, community-based and corporate institutions to build customized partnerships. We are grateful to our friends at Dotdash Meredith: Together we are mentoring the next generation to be creative, communicative and competitive candidates—shaping the future of publishing and media.

The My Simple Realization essay contest is part of Dotdash Meredith’s ongoing participation in SeeHer , an initiative whose mission is to increase more inclusive representation of women and girls in media.

Interested in Becoming a Corporate Partner?

Get in touch with the Girls Write Now team.

Meet the Contest Finalists

Sanya Afsar

Sanya Afsar is a Pakistani high school senior in NYC. She grew up in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, until the age of seven and now lives in the culturally rich Woodside neighborhood of Queens, NY. She is a multidisciplinary artist interested in fashion, photography and baking. Her literary taste skews toward dystopian fiction, romance and poetry novels. Sanya uses her time with Girls Write Now to explore different genres, narrowing her focus on college and career plans, to find her voice as a writer. She is particularly passionate about poetry, journaling and memoir.

Hazel Agicha

Hazel Agicha is a sophomore who loves anything plants, cats and reading. Her goals are to get into a college where she can pursue business and finance. She moved to to America five years ago from India.

Camila Bonilla

Camila Bonilla is a junior in high school who loves to bring her fictional narratives to life in writing. In middle school, Camila first dabbled in writing when crafting her Friend-fiction stories, featuring her classmates in school. Realizing that the limits in stories were endless, Camila now always stops to wield the power of her pencil when an idea sparks in her head. When not jumping from story to story, she enjoys painting watercolour portraits and making short films with her friends.

Liliana Colon

Liliana Colon is a sophomore college student currently living in Brooklyn, NYC. She made the decision to take a gap semester to further explore her interests. Her passion for writing and desire to create during this break led her to discover the Girls Write Now community. Liliana is a visual artist, musician and committed writer, and hopes to pursue these dreams. Liliana enjoys taking walks throughout the city and draws inspiration for her music and art through observing the world around her, particularly in nature.

Denise Domena

Denise Domena is a native of Brooklyn, New York. She is college freshman who plans to major in English Literature and concentrate in creative writing. In her free time, she embroiders, plays ukulele and piano and bakes cookies. Denise hopes to one day publish young adult fiction novels and perhaps a collection of poetry.

Anaís Fernández

Anaís Fernández is a second-year Girls Write Now mentee and a high school senior currently applying to college creative writing programs. When she is not writing poetry, prose or random snippets living in her head, she is making music, acting or reading. If she had to eat one thing for the rest of her life, it would be rice.

Ruby Faith Hentoff

Ruby Faith Hentoff is a passionate fiction writer and junior in high school. When she’s not writing short stories, screenplays and songs, you can find her drawing, baking or listening to Broadway musicals. One of her missions in writing is to spread epilepsy awareness and connect to those who suffer from seizures. She lives in Manhattan, New York.

Megumi Jindo

Megumi Jindo is a senior in high school. She loves writing, reading, listening to music, photography, art, and playing sports. She also loves songwriting and collecting new vocab to expand her writing style. She aims to become a best-selling author one day and wants to use her writing as a way to educate and help America be a better version of itself. Also, she loves sunrises, sunsets, astrology, psychology, and eating junk food!

Erika Jing is a student, hopeful writer and aspiring poet (not necessarily in that order) based on the east coast. She can be found wandering libraries, listening to podcasts and struggling with languages. Her poetry has appeared in Eunoia Reviews but they mostly reside in her desktop.

Natalia Lashley

Natalia Lashley is an 11th grader at the Chapin School. She loves writing as it gives her an outlet to express herself.

Mengnan Lin

Mengnan Lin is a young artist, playwright and storyteller who uses art and writing as her two platforms to bring light to the unspoken sides of the “minorities” world. Growing up in a small town in Fujian, China, and then later immigrating to Queens, NY, Mengnan is a “citizen” of many places. All her experiences engaging with diverse communities give her incredible perspectives on distinct ways of discovering, expressing and refounding our identity. Mengnan aims to continue to speak up and advocate for the unvoiced communities through her words and artworks.

A junior in high school, Megan Xing began writing at a very young age. She had loved to read even before she started school, and upon discovering her father’s computer in kindergarten, she learned she had an attraction to writing as well. Her favorite genres are narrative, memoir, fiction and fantasy, and she is increasingly eager to explore the worlds of poetry and film as well.

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Join the community, from mailing list to mentoring and more…, give write now, invest in the next generation of leaders.

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Best Essay Writing Contests in 2024

Showing 48 contests that match your search.

Annual Contest Submissions

So To Speak

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, LGBTQ, Non-fiction, and Poetry

So To Speak is seeking submissions for poetry, fiction, and non-fiction with an intersectional feminist lens! It is no secret that the literary canon and literary journals are largely comprised of heteronormative, patriarchal, cisgender, able-bodied white men. So to Speak seeks work by writers, poets, and artists who want to challenge and change the identity of the “canonical” writer.

Additional prizes:

Publication

💰 Entry fee: $4

📅 Deadline: March 15, 2024 (Expired)

Journalism Competition 2024

Write the World

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

What are the most important issues taking place close to home? Perhaps a rare bird sighting near your town? Or a band of young people in your province fighting for access to higher education? This month, immerse yourself in a newsworthy event inside the borders of your own country, and invite us there through your written reporting.

Best entry: $100

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

📅 Deadline: July 22, 2024

swamp pink Prizes

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

From January 1st to January 31st, submit short stories and essays of up to 25 pages or a set of 1-3 poems. Winners in each genre will receive $2,000 and publication.

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2024 (Expired)

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NOWW 26th International Writing Contest

Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop (NOWW)

Open to all writers in four categories: poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction, and critical writing.

2nd: $100 | 3rd: $50

💰 Entry fee: $7

📅 Deadline: February 29, 2024 (Expired)

Creative Nonfiction Prize

Indiana Review

Genres: Essay, Fiction, and Non-fiction

Send us one creative nonfiction piece, up to 5000 words, for a chance at $1000 + publication. This year's contest will be judged by Lars Horn.

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)

Climate Change Writing Competition

Genres: Essay, Memoir, and Non-fiction

This month, dear writers, ahead of COP27, help us raise the voices of young people in this urgent fight. In a piece of personal narrative, tell the world’s leaders gathering in how climate change impacts you. How has this crisis changed your environment, your community, your sense of the future? Storytelling, after all, plays a critical role in helping us grasp the emergency through which we are all living, igniting empathy in readers and listeners—itself a precursor to action.

Runner-up: $50

📅 Deadline: October 18, 2022 (Expired)

Artificial Intelligence Competition

New Beginnings

Genres: Essay, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Short Story

There is no topic relating to technology that brings more discussion than artificial intelligence. Some people think it does wonders. Others see it as trouble. Let us know your opinion about AI in this competition. Include experiences you have had with AI. 300-word limit. Winners will be selected January 1, 2024. Open to anyone, anywhere.

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: December 15, 2023 (Expired)

Hispanic Culture Review Contest 2022-2023

Hispanic Culture Review

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story, and Flash Fiction

As the Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano once said, "the best that the world has is in the many worlds that the world contains." Therefore, this year we invite you to reflect on the following questions: How do you or your community celebrate these connections? How do you value those experiences with those people who leave a mark on your life? 1 work will be awarded in each category: 1) photography & visual arts, 2) poetry, and 3) narrative/essay/academic investigation.

$100 for photography, poetry, and essay winners

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: February 01, 2023 (Expired)

Red Hen Press Women's Prose Prize

Red Hen Press

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story, Essay, Memoir, and Novel

Established in 2018, the Women’s Prose Prize is for previously unpublished, original work of prose. Novels, short story collections, memoirs, essay collections, and all other forms of prose writing are eligible for consideration. The awarded manuscript is selected through a biennial competition, held in even-numbered years, that is open to all writers who identify as women.

Publication by Red Hen Press

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: February 28, 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

💰 Entry fee: $12

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024

World Historian Student Essay Competition

World History Association

Genres: Children's and Essay

The World Historian Student Essay Competition is an international competition open to students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs. Membership in the World History Association is not a requirement for submission. Past winners may not compete in the same category again.

📅 Deadline: May 01, 2024

Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction Award

Trio House Press

We seek un-agented full-length creative nonfiction manuscripts including memoir, essay collections, etc. 50,000 - 80,000 words.

📅 Deadline: May 15, 2024

100 Word Writing Contest

Tadpole Press

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Children's, Poetry, Romance, Short Story, Suspense, and Travel

Can you write a story using 100 words or less? Pieces will be judged on creativity, uniqueness, and how the story captures a new angle, breaks through stereotypes, and expands our beliefs about what's possible or unexpectedly delights us. In addition, we are looking for writing that is clever or unique, inspires us, and crafts a compelling and complete story. The first-place prize has doubled to $2,000 USD.

2nd: writing coach package

💰 Entry fee: $15

Lazuli Literary Group Writing Contest

Lazuli Literary Group

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Novella, and Script Writing

We are not concerned with genre distinctions. Send us the best you have; we want only for it to be thoughtful, intelligent, and beautiful. We want art that grows in complexity upon each visitation; we enjoy ornate, cerebral, and voluptuous phrases executed with thematic intent.

Publication in "AZURE: A Journal of Literary Thought"

📅 Deadline: March 24, 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

📅 Deadline: November 30, 2023 (Expired)

Military Anthology: Partnerships, the Untold Story

Armed Services Arts Partnership

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

Partners are an integral aspect of military life, at home and afar, during deployment and after homecoming. Partnerships drive military action and extend beyond being a battle buddy, wingman, or crew member. Some are planned while others arise entirely unexpectedly. Spouses, family, old or new friends, community, faith leaders, and medical specialists all support the military community. Despite their importance, the stories of these partnerships often go untold. This anthology aims to correct that: We will highlight the nuances, surprises, joy, sorrow, heroism, tears, healing power, and ache of partnerships. We invite you to submit the story about partnerships from your journey, so we can help tell it.

$500 Editors' Choice award

$250 for each genre category (prose, poetry, visual art)

📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)

Literary and Photographic Contest 2023-2024

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Poetry

As we move forward we carry our culture wherever we go. It keeps us alive. This is why we propose the theme to be “¡Hacia delante!”. A phrase that means to move forward. This year we ask that you think about the following questions: What keeps you moving forward? What do you carry with you going into the future? How do you celebrate your successes, your dreams, and your culture?

Publication in magazine

📅 Deadline: February 07, 2024 (Expired)

Jane Austen Society of North America Essay Contest

Jane Austen Society of North America

JASNA conducts an annual student Essay Contest to foster the study and appreciation of Jane Austen's works in new generations of readers. Students world-wide are invited to compete for scholarship awards in three divisions: high school, college, and graduate school.

$1,000 scholarship

Two nights’ lodging for JASNA’s Annual General Meeting

📅 Deadline: June 02, 2022 (Expired)

Rigel 2024: $500 for Prose, Poetry, Art, or Graphic Novel

Sunspot Literary Journal

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Script Writing, and Short Story

Literary or genre works accepted. Winner receives $500 plus publication, while runners-up and finalists are offered publication. No restrictions on theme or category. Closes: February 29. Entry fee: $12.50. Enter as many times as you like through Submittable or Duotrope

$500 + publication

Runners-up and finalists are offered publication

African Diaspora Awards 2024

Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

Up to $1000 in cash prizes for the African Diaspora Award 2024. African-themed prose and poetry wanted. Top finalists are published in Kinsman Quarterly’s magazine and the anthology, “Black Butterfly: Voices of the African Diaspora.”

Publication in anthology, "Black Butterfly: Voices of the African Diaspora" and print and digital magazine

📅 Deadline: June 30, 2024

Work-In-Progress (WIP) Contest

Unleash Press

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

We aim to assist writers in the completion of an important literary project and vision. The Unleash WIP Award offers writers support in the amount of $500 to supplement costs to aid in the completion of a book-length work of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Writers will also receive editorial feedback, coaching meetings, and an excerpt/interview feature in Unleash Lit.

Coaching, interview, and editorial support

💰 Entry fee: $35

📅 Deadline: July 15, 2024

Vocal Challenges

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Short Story

Enter themed storytelling contests to put your creativity to the test and be in with a chance of winning cash prizes and more. To submit, you'll need to sign up for a monthly fee of $9.99, or $4.99/month for 3 months.

$1,000 — $5,000

📅 Deadline: March 07, 2024 (Expired)

Stories of Inspiration

Nonfiction stories of inspiration wanted (between 500 to 2,000 words). Submissions should highlight the struggle and resilience of the human spirit, especially related to cultures of BIPOC or marginalized communities. Stories must be original, unpublished works in English. One successful entry will be awarded each month from April 2024 and will be included within Kinsman Quarterly’s online journal and digital magazine. Successful authors receive $200 USD and publication in our digital magazine. No entry fee required.

Publication in Kinsman Quarterly's online magazine

📅 Deadline: December 31, 2024

Indignor Play House Annual Short Story Competition

Indignor House Publishing

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

Indignor House Publishing is proud to announce that our annual writing competition (INDIGNOR PLAYHOUSE Short Story Annual Competition) is officially open with expected publication in the fall of 2024. Up to 25 submissions will be accepted for inclusion in the annual anthology.

2nd: $250 | 3rd: $150

Annual Student Essay Contest

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

For this year’s Essay Contest, we are asking students to think about why the story of the Oklahoma City bombing is important today.

📅 Deadline: March 04, 2024 (Expired)

Personal Essay Competition 2024

Genres: Essay and Memoir

We want to hear about an experience in your life, rife with characters and description and conflict and scene… but we also want to hear how you make sense of this experience, how it sits with you, and why it has surfaced as writing. Open a window into your life and invite your readers to enter.

📅 Deadline: June 24, 2024

High School Academic Research Competition

Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal

The High School Academic Research Competition is where talented students from around the world compete to publish high-quality research on any topic. SARC challenges students to sharpen their critical thinking skills, immerse themselves in the research process, and hone their writing skills for success.

Indigo Research Intensive Summer Program

📅 Deadline: March 20, 2024 (Expired)

The Hudson Prize

Black Lawrence Press

Each year Black Lawrence Press will award The Hudson Prize for an unpublished collection of poems or prose. The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers.

💰 Entry fee: $28

Brink Literary Journal Award for Hybrid Writing

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Science Writing, and Short Story

The Brink Literary Journal Award for Hybrid Writing will be administered to the winner of a literary contest designed to champion innovative hybrid and cross-genre work.

💰 Entry fee: $22

📅 Deadline: February 16, 2024 (Expired)

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

Irene Adler Prize

Lucas Ackroyd

Genres: Essay, Non-fiction, and Travel

I’ve traveled the world from Sweden to South Africa, from the Golden Globes to the Olympic women’s hockey finals. I’ve photographed a mother polar bear and her cubs and profiled stars like ABBA, Jennifer Garner and Katarina Witt. And I couldn’t have done it without women. I’ve been very fortunate, and it’s time for me to give back. With the Irene Adler Prize, I’m awarding a $1,000 scholarship to a woman pursuing a degree in journalism, creative writing, or literature at a recognized post-secondary institution.

2x honorable mentions: $250

📅 Deadline: May 30, 2024

Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize

Gotham Writers Workshop

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

The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize is a writing competition sponsored by the stage and radio series Selected Shorts. Selected Shorts is recorded for Public Radio and heard nationally on both the radio and its weekly podcast. This years entries will be judged by Carmen Maria Machado (In the Dream House, Her Body and Other Parties).

$1000 + free 10 week course with Gotham Writers

International Essay Competition 2023/24

Avernus Education

Genres: Essay

Welcome to our prestigious International Essay Competition. At Avernus Education, we are thrilled to provide a platform for young minds to showcase their prowess in Medicine, Engineering, Law, Economics, Psychology, History and Politics. These varied subject categories underscore the importance of interdisciplinary study, a crucial foundation for future leaders in our increasingly interconnected world. Winners receive an exclusive Avernus Education Scholarship worth over £5000 - granting them free entrance to our exclusive summer camp at Oxford University! Outstanding Runners Up receive 5 hours worth of Credits for Avernus Education courses, conferences and tutoring services.

100% Scholarship Award to our Oxford University Summer Programme (worth £5995)

Partial scholarship

📅 Deadline: February 19, 2024 (Expired)

Young Sports Journalist 2024

The Young Sports Journalist Competition, 2024, seeks well-argued articles from aspiring journalists aged 14-21. Winning entries will be published online and printed in the Summer Issue of Pitch. Critiqued by our panel of accomplished judges, winners will also receive a £50 cash prize and offered work experience here at PITCH HQ. The competition runs from 7 February 2024 to 5 April 2024. And winners will be announced in May.

Publication in magazine and online

📅 Deadline: April 05, 2024 (Expired)

Solas Awards

Best Travel Writing

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.

📅 Deadline: September 21, 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.

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Guest Essay

The Nobel Winner Who Liked to Collaborate With His Adversaries

By Cass R. Sunstein

Mr. Sunstein is a law professor at Harvard and an author of “Noise,” with Daniel Kahneman and Olivier Sibony.

Our all-American belief that money really does buy happiness is roughly correct for about 85 percent of us. We know this thanks to the latest and perhaps final work of Daniel Kahneman, the Nobel Prize winner who insisted on the value of working with those with whom we disagree.

Professor Kahneman, who died last week at the age of 90, is best known for his pathbreaking explorations of human judgment and decision making and of how people deviate from perfect rationality. He should also be remembered for a living and working philosophy that has never been more relevant: his enthusiasm for collaborating with his intellectual adversaries. This enthusiasm was deeply personal. He experienced real joy working with others to discover the truth, even if he learned that he was wrong (something that often delighted him).

Back to that finding, published last year , that for a strong majority of us, more is better when it comes to money. In 2010, Professor Kahneman and the Princeton economist Angus Deaton (also a Nobel Prize winner) published a highly influential essay that found that, on average, higher-income groups show higher levels of happiness — but only to a point. Beyond a threshold at or below $90,000, Professor Kahneman and Professor Deaton found, there is no further progress in average happiness as income increases.

Eleven years later, Matthew Killingsworth, a senior fellow at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, found exactly the opposite : People with higher income reported higher levels of average happiness. Period. The more money people have, the happier they are likely to be.

What gives? You could imagine some furious exchange in which Professor Kahneman and Professor Deaton made sharp objections to Dr. Killingsworth’s paper, to which Dr. Killingsworth answered equally sharply, leaving readers confused and exhausted.

Professor Kahneman saw such a dynamic as “angry science,” which he described as a “nasty world of critiques, replies and rejoinders” and “as a contest, where the aim is to embarrass.” As Professor Kahneman put it, those who live in that nasty world offer “a summary caricature of the target position, refute the weakest argument in that caricature and declare the total destruction of the adversary’s position.” In his account, angry science is “a demeaning experience.” That dynamic might sound familiar, particularly in our politics.

Instead, Professor Kahneman favored an alternative that he termed “adversarial collaboration.” When people who disagree work together to test a hypothesis, they are involved in a common endeavor. They are trying not to win but to figure out what’s true. They might even become friends.

In that spirit, Professor Kahneman, well into his 80s, asked Dr. Killingsworth to collaborate, with the help of a friendly arbiter, Prof. Barbara Mellers, an influential and widely admired psychologist. Their task was to look closely at Dr. Killingsworth’s data to see whether he had analyzed it properly and to understand what, if anything, had been missed by Professor Kahneman and Professor Deaton.

Their central conclusion was simple. Dr. Killingsworth missed a threshold effect in his data that affected only one group: the least happy 15 percent. For these largely unhappy people, average happiness does grow with rising income, up to a level of around $100,000, but it stops growing after that. For a majority of us, by contrast, average happiness keeps growing with increases in income.

Both sides were partly right and partly wrong. Their adversarial collaboration showed that the real story is more interesting and more complicated than anyone saw individually.

Professor Kahneman engaged in a number of adversarial collaborations, with varying degrees of success. His first (and funniest) try was with his wife, the distinguished psychologist Anne Treisman. Their disagreement never did get resolved. (Dr. Treisman died in 2018.) Both of them were able to explain away the results of their experiments — a tribute to what he called “the stubborn persistence of challenged beliefs.” Still, adversarial collaborations sometimes produce both agreement and truth, and he said that “a common feature of all my experiences has been that the adversaries ended up on friendlier terms than they started.”

Professor Kahneman meant both to encourage better science and to strengthen the better angels of our nature. In academic life, adversarial collaborations hold great value . We could easily imagine a situation in which adversaries routinely collaborated to see if they could resolve disputes about the health effects of air pollutants, the consequences of increases in the minimum wage, the harms of climate change or the deterrent effects of the death penalty.

And the idea can be understood more broadly. In fact, the U.S. Constitution should be seen as an effort to create the conditions for adversarial collaboration. Before the founding, it was often thought that republics could work only if people were relatively homogeneous — if they were broadly in agreement with one another. Objecting to the proposed Constitution, the pseudonymous antifederalist Brutus emphasized this point: “In a republic, the manners, sentiments and interests of the people should be similar. If this be not the case, there will be a constant clashing of opinions, and the representatives of one part will be continually striving against those of the other.”

Those who favored the Constitution thought that Brutus had it exactly backward. In their view, the constant clashing of opinions was something not to fear but to welcome, at least if people collaborate — if they act as if they are engaged in a common endeavor. Sounding a lot like Professor Kahneman, Alexander Hamilton put it this way : “The differences of opinion, and the jarrings of parties” in the legislative department of the government “often promote deliberation and circumspection and serve to check excesses in the majority.”

Angry science is paralleled by angry democracy, a “nasty world of critiques, replies and rejoinders,” whose “aim is to embarrass,” Professor Kahneman said. That’s especially true, of course, in the midst of political campaigns, when the whole point is to win.

Still, the idea of adversarial collaboration has never been more important. Within organizations of all kinds — including corporations, nonprofits, think tanks and government agencies — sustained efforts should be made to lower the volume by isolating the points of disagreement and specifying tests to establish what’s right. Asking how a disagreement might actually be resolved tends to turn enemies, focused on winning and losing, into teammates, focused on truth.

As usual, Professor Kahneman was right. We could use a lot more of that.

Cass R. Sunstein is a law professor at Harvard and an author of “Noise,” with Daniel Kahneman and Olivier Sibony.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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