Writing Competitions in 2025 and 2026
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Lasting Legacy Short Story Contest
November 1, 2025 2:08 am – November 30, 2025 2:08 am The Elegant Literature Prize is a $3,000 cash award presented monthly by Elegant Literature, a digital magazine, to a new, unpublished writer. The award is part of the organizer’s mission to help new talent launch their writing careers by providing financial support and publication […]
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The Poetry.com Monthly Contest
November 30, 2025 1:57 am – 1:57 am Poetry.com prides itself in supporting and encouraging all writers, regardless of background, education or experience. All poets, whether just starting out or with many years of practice, are encouraged to submit to their monthly contests as an opportunity to gain motivation, inspiration, exposure and most importantly, build […]
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Anthology Travel Writing Competition 2025
November 30, 2025 5:01 am – 11:59 pm Established for writers who like to share authentic travel experiences and to provide a platform for publication. The Anthology Travel Writing Competition is open to original and previously unpublished travel articles in the English language by writers of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. The organizer […]
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Speculative Fiction Short Stories – Intrepid Voices Fund
November 29, 2025 10:00 pm – 11:59 pm The Intrepid Voices Fund 2025 offers a $1,250 USD award for an outstanding speculative short story by a U.S.-based author. The award seeks imaginative works that explore the themes of winter, solstice, renewal, or new beginnings—stories that capture transformation, change, or the quiet magic of possibility. The […]
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Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest
November 30, 2025 2:17 pm – 2:17 pm The Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest is accepting submissions until November 30 2025. All ages. All genders. All nationalities. All writers welcome. You may enter pieces that are brand-new or have been previously published elsewhere. Prizes 1st place: $1,000 USD 2nd place: Publishing and marketing package with […]
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Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition
November 30, 2025 2:19 pm – 2:19 pm The Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition is an annual prize named in memory of the late Irish poet Gregory O’Donoghue (1951–2005) and is organised by the Munster Literature Centre in Cork, Ireland . The competition is open to original, unpublished and unbroadcast poems in the English language […]
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Boarding School Romance Writing Contest 2025
November 30, 2025 10:00 am – 11:59 pm Looking for one of the top writing contests for 2025? Enter Inkitt’s Boarding School Romance Writing Contest — a free writing contest that could transform your life. Entries must include Romance as a genre and feature soccer as a central theme Entry is free. No maximum word limit. […]
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Inkspot Publishing Short Story Competition
November 30, 2025 4:27 pm – 4:27 pm The Inkspot Publishing Short Story Competition is open for submissions. Submit stories up to 2,500 words, or stories between 2,500-5,000 words. Your submission must be written in English or be your own work translated into English. Prizes: First Prize: £1,000 Second Prize: £250 Third Prize: £100 The […]
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The International Dark Poets Prize (Edition IV)
November 30, 2025 5:09 pm – 5:09 pm The International Dark Poets Prize: Edition IV is open for entries. This global poetry competition invites you to submit your most captivating poems that explore the beauty within darkness. The winner will receive the prestigious title of International Dark Poets Prize IV Winner and a cash prize […]
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Cambrian Mountains Poetry Competition
November 30, 2025 7:19 pm – 7:19 pm The theme of the second international Cambrian Mountains Poetry Competition. is ‘Springs and Sources’. celebrating the many rivers, both major – the Wye, Severn, Towy and Teifi – and smaller – the Irfon, Elan, Rheidol, Ystwyth, Cammarch, Brefi, Pysgotr and others too numerous to list, which rise […]
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Bath Children’s Novel Award 2025
November 30, 2025 10:37 pm – 10:37 pm The Bath Children’s Novel Award is a £5,000 international prize for children’s novels, YA, chapter books and picture book texts. The prize is open to unagented writers, who are unpublished, self-published or independently published without advance. We welcome writers of every age, gender, nationality and residency. Recipients […]
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Philadelphia Stories Fiction Contest
December 1, 2025 12:05 am – 12:05 am The Philadelphia Stories Fiction Contest is a national short fiction contest that features a first place $1,000 cash award and three $250 runner-up cash awards. The winner stories will be published in the print issue of the Winter/Spring 2025 issue of Philadelphia Stories. The organizers especially encourage […]
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20th Annual Writer’s Digest Poetry Awards
December 1, 2025 3:13 pm – 3:13 pm Writer’s Digest is celebrating their 20th Annual Writer’s Digest Poetry Awards with new categories and prizes. The organizer is looking for your best poems of 32 lines or fewer or un-published chapbooks 25 pages or fewer. Any form of poetry is eligible including epic, free verse, odes, […]
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Bardsy 2025 Fall First Chapter Anthology Contest
December 5, 2025 12:00 am – 12:00 am Bardsy is calling all writers: let Bardsy apply their Publishability Index™ to your first chapter! Their editors will identify your strengths, room for improvement, and guide you through revision so that you can be rewarded and published alongside the best in their Fall Anthology. Entries must be […]
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Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize
December 5, 2025 11:01 pm – 11:01 pm The Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize is organized by Overland, an Australian literary and cultural magazine. The competition is open to all writers, nationally and internationally, at any stage of their writing career. The organizers are seeking excellent short fiction of up to 3000 words themed around […]
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New2theScene Poetry Competition
December 7, 2025 3:13 pm – 3:13 pm The New2theScene Poetry Competition is open for entries. The organizer is passionate about unearthing fresh talent and giving emerging writers their time to shine. Whether you’ve been scribbling in secret for years or have published work elsewhere, this competitions is a chance to showcase your voice. This […]
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Palette Poetry 2025 Love & Eros Prize
December 7, 2025 4:00 pm – 4:00 pm Palette Poetry’s Love & Eros Prize welcomes you to share your love poems that explore the many and varied iterations of love. From the romantic and platonic, to the sweet and queer—the reverential devotion and gut-wrenching longing. What emotions branch from love? How are we all touched […]
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Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition
December 14, 2025 9:37 am – 9:37 am Minotaur Books and Mystery Writers of America (MWA) invite aspiring crime writers to submit unpublished manuscripts for the 2026 First Crime Novel Competition. This international contest is open to writers 18 and older who have never published a novel in any genre and are not currently under […]
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Leave Your Mark: Writing Contest for Teens
December 15, 2025 9:10 am – 9:10 am Gotham Writers is inviting writers ages 13-18 years old to write about a scar. Physical or invisible. This could be a scar you have, or one for a character you make up. You can do this in any form you like: story, song, script, or poem, as […]
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The Final Girl Review – Horror Fiction, Poetry, and Non-fiction
December 15, 2025 3:48 pm – 3:48 pm The Final Girl Review is a new, independent horror-focused literary journal that publishes fiction, poetry, visual art, reviews, creative nonfiction, and academic/critical essays—all centered on the eerie and unsettling. The journal is woman‑created and celebrates horror in many forms—from gothic dread to psychological terror. Submit short fiction, […]
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Unleash Press WIP Award
December 15, 2025 11:48 pm – 11:48 pm The editors at Unleash Press aim to assist writers in completing an important literary project and vision. The Unleash WIP Award offers writers support in the amount of $500 to supplement costs to support the completion of a book-length work of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Writers will […]
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Globe Soup 2025 Open Short Story Competition
December 16, 2025 3:04 pm – 3:04 pm The Globe Soup Open Short Story Competition is open to writers of all genres and styles. The competition is open to anyone aged 18 or over at the time of entering. All entries must be written in English. International entries are welcome. All entries must be written […]
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The Indie Gold Awards
December 17, 2025 5:00 pm – 5:00 pm The Crime Fiction Indie Gold Awards spotlight the best in indie mystery, thriller, and suspense writing. Open to self-published and independent authors worldwide, this contest accepts short stories, or novel/novella excerpts (e.g., a first chapter or key scene). Categories include Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Detective/P.I., Noir, and more. […]
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The Griffin Poetry Prize
December 19, 2025 10:22 pm – 10:22 pm The Griffin Poetry Prize is awarded annually for a first-edition poetry collection written in, or translated into, English by a living poet and/or translator from any country. The objective of the prize is to raise the profile of poets and poetry in Canada, and internationally, for works […]
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Ruth Rendell Short Story Competition
December 21, 2025 5:00 pm – 5:00 pm The Ruth Rendell Short Story Competition is open for submissions until 21 December 2025. Previously judged by the late thriller and murder mystery author, Ruth Rendell CBE – InterAct’s Short Story Competition is now named after her. The competition is more recently judged by Margaret Drabble DBE; […]
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Afritondo Short Story Prize
December 23, 2025 3:07 pm – 3:07 pm The Afritondo Short Story Prize celebrates outstanding fiction from Black and African writers worldwide. Each year, the prize invites entries that creatively address a chosen theme, showcasing fresh perspectives and imaginative storytelling. Submissions are open to all writers with African or Black heritage. This year’s theme is […]
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Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition
December 31, 2025 12:00 am – 12:00 am Got a horror short screenplay or short story? The Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition is an annual contest dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging horror screenwriters. Now entering its seventh season, the competition invites writers worldwide to submit original horror short screenplays or short stories, encompassing […]
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Farnham’s First Five Pages Writing Competition
December 31, 2025 2:24 pm – 2:24 pm Farnham Literary Festival is hosting the Farnham First Five Pages Writing Competition. Entrants can submit the first 5 pages of their novel and a 250-word synopsis. The novel an be a work in progress. There is no set theme or style of writing however your entry should […]
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Fusilli Flash Fiction Competition
December 31, 2025 2:47 pm – 2:47 pm The Fusilli Flash Fiction Competition is an international flash fiction competition for stories up to 200 words with a twist. The competition is open to anyone 18+ and accepts any theme, with a focus on quality writing. The winner will receive £30 and publication on the organizer’s […]
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Lilith Fiction Contest
December 31, 2025 3:22 pm – 3:22 pm Lilith magazine – an independent, Jewish, and feminist publication quality short stories with heart, soul, and chutzpah, 3,000 words or under, for their Annual Lilith Fiction Contest. The organizer is seeking fresh fiction with feminist and Jewish nuance. They are eager to read submissions from writers of […]
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Wolves Lit Fest Poetry Competition 2026
December 31, 2025 3:52 pm – 3:52 pm Wolverhampton Literature Festival has opened its Wolves Lit Fest Poetry Competition to poets from across the globe for the ninth consecutive year. The competition this year is an ‘open’ one, so poems on whatever subject can be submitted. The competition is open to anyone aged sixteen and […]
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Inkitt Love at First Kick: Soccer Romance Writing Contest 2025
December 31, 2025 10:00 am – 11:59 pm Inkitt’s Love at First Kick Writing Contest invites you to craft romances where soccer isn’t just the backdrop—it’s the heartbeat of the story. Whether it’s rivals from opposing teams falling in love, teammates realizing their bond runs deeper, or a journalist caught between truth and desire, we […]
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The Moth Poetry Prize 2025
December 31, 2025 6:33 pm – 6:33 pm The Moth Poetry Prize is one of the biggest prizes in the world for individual unpublished poems. The prize is open to anyone over 16, and each year attracts thousands of entries from new and established poets from over 50 countries worldwide. The prize is judged anonymously […]
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Do Wha(TS) Write Short Fiction Competition
December 31, 2025 6:00 pm – 11:59 pm Do Wha(TS) Write is an annual short fiction competition with a word limit of 1000 words, and unlimited entries at $5 each. All proceeds from this contest go directly towards Tourette Canada, the Canadian national charity that supports people living with Tourette Syndrome and their families. Do […]
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The Danahy Fiction Prize
December 31, 2025 11:38 pm – 11:38 pm The Danahy Fiction Prize is an award of $1,000 and publication in Tampa Review given annually for a previously unpublished work of short fiction. Each entrant also receives one issue of Tampa Review (mailed to any U.S. address; international subscribers will receive a digital issue). Submissions must […]
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The Exeter Novel Prize
January 1, 2026 8:55 am – 8:55 am The Exeter Novel Prize is open for submissions. This prestigious prize welcomes entries in English from all over the world, and is open to all authors who are without representation by a literary agent at the closing date, whether or not they have previously been published. By […]
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The Welkin Writing Prize
January 2, 2026 11:32 pm – 11:32 pm The Welkin Writing Prize is an annual competition for microfiction up to 100 words. It is free to enter and aims to be a welcoming space for all writers. The competition is open to all forms of narrative prose (fiction and non-fiction), be that flash fiction, short-short, […]
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The Betty Award for Young Writers
January 3, 2026 6:47 pm – 6:47 pm The Betty Award is a well-established international writing competition designed to encourage creativity in young writers aged 8 to 12. Entries are judged on imagination, originality, and writing style, giving children the chance to showcase their storytelling talent in any genre they choose. Stories can be written on […]
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Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival’s Poetry Competition
January 4, 2026 3:42 pm – 3:42 pm The Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival’s Poetry Competition is open for entries until 4th January 2026. The theme is “In the Garden”. You can write your poems in any format – haiku, sonnet, blank verse etc., but they must be relevant to the theme. Poems must be no […]
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Marlowe & Christie Novel Prize
January 5, 2026 2:00 pm – 2:00 pm The Marlowe & Christie Novel Prize competition opened on 5th October 2025, with an early-bird discount available until 5th November, and closes on 5th January 2026. The first prize is £1,200, and writers need only submit the opening 3,000 words of their novel. The top three finalists […]
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The Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize
January 7, 2026 1:23 pm – 1:23 pm The Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize is renowned and highly regarded for championing and launching the careers of exceptional female writers. Many of the prize’s winners and shortlistees have gone on to become bestselling and award-winning authors. Entrants should submit the opening 10 pages of their manuscript, a […]
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2025 Rattle Chapbook Prize
January 15, 2026 12:59 am – 12:59 am The Rattle Chapbook Prize is organized by the Rattle, an American poetry magazine. The competition is open to writers worldwide. Each poet may submit 15 – 30 pages of poetry. Poems must be written in English. Individual poems may be previously published in any format, but the manuscript […]
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Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction
January 23, 2026 12:00 pm – January 25, 2026 11:59 pm The Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction is an international writing event that challenges writers to create an original piece of flash fiction based on two typical writing prompts plus one anti-prompt. Participants will compete for AU$4,000 in cash prizes, including AU$1,500 for […]
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2026 Bridge Prize Short Story Award
January 26, 2026 11:27 pm – 11:27 pm The Bridge Prize is presented by the School of Liberal Education at the University of Lethbridge. The Bridge Prize is a biennial short story writing competition that intends to inspire and motivate the next generation of fiction writers in Canada. The biennial competition, established in 2020, is […]
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Story Unlikely Annual Short Story Contest
January 31, 2026 1:00 am – 11:59 pm The Story Unlikely Annual Short Story Contest is back, and for their 5th year, the organizer is giving away $5,000. Story Unlikely is looking for great stories regardless of genre or author pedigree. Unlike other outlets, they are laser-focused on the quality of the writing, not the […]
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Fiction Factory First Chapter of a Novel + Synopsis Competition
January 31, 2026 3:20 pm – 3:20 pm Fiction Factory is accepting submissions for their First Chapter of a Novel + Synopsis Competition. Have you completed the first draft of your novel? Are you ready to pass it on to a fresh pair of eyes, to see if you are on the right track? Is […]
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The Chautauqua Janus Prize
January 31, 2026 3:31 pm – 3:31 pm The Chautauqua Janus Prize will be awarded for the ninth time in 2026, celebrating an emerging writer’s single work of short fiction or nonfiction for daring formal and aesthetic innovations that upset and reorder readers’ imaginations. Submissions may be up to 15,000 words in length but no […]
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Ironclad Short Story Competition – Spring 2026
January 31, 2026 3:37 pm – 3:37 pm The Ironclad Short Story Competition is open to both published and unpublished writers from anywhere in the world. The organizer is accepting any length of story up to 6,000 words. The story must respond in any way to the prompt RESERVED. All genres of prose are accepted. […]
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César Egido Serrano Foundation VIII International Flash Fiction Competition
January 31, 2026 3:49 pm – 3:49 pm The César Egido Serrano Foundation is honored to announce the launch of the VIII International Microfiction Contest, once again inviting participants from around the world to share their talent and creativity, with the written word as a bridge for understanding between cultures. Over the past editions, the […]
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Inkitt Myth Weaver Writing Contest 2026
January 31, 2026 9:00 am – 11:59 pm Inkitt’s Myth Weaver Writing Contest invites authors to craft stories where mythology and mythos come to life! The organizer is looking for stories from across the globe.Whether it’s a thrilling Norse adventure or an Egyptian romance, the focus should be on weaving your plot from a larger mythological […]
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Calibre Essay Prize 2026
February 2, 2026 12:28 am – 12:28 am Australian Book Review welcomes entries in the 2026 Calibre Essay Prize, worth $10,000. The Calibre Prize is open to all essayists writing in English. Entries must be a single non-fiction essay of 2,000 and 5,000 words. Previously published, prize-winning, or broadcast essays will not be accepted. Essays […]
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The April Showers Publishing Writing Competition
December 31, 2025 10:26 pm – 10:26 pm The April Showers Publishing Writing Competition is open for entries. The organizer is searching for original unpublished short stories written by UK residents. Open to any fiction prose (except for horror) written in 2025. Complete, standalone short stories only – no first chapters, prologues or sequels. Word […]
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Pegasus Poetry Book Prize
February 2, 2026 2:59 pm – 2:59 pm The Pegasus Poetry Book Prize, established in 2025 in partnership with Graywolf Press, awards $10,000 and publication to an unpublished first or second poetry collection by a United States poet 40 or older. This prize replaces the Poetry Foundation’s former Emily Dickinson First Book Award and will […]
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The Keats-Shelley Poetry and Essay Prizes
February 2, 2026 3:20 pm – 3:20 pm The Keats-Shelley Poetry and Essay Prizes were established in 1998 to encourage writers of all ages to respond to the work of the Romantics. Prize Judges have included Carol Ann Duffy, Stephen Fry, Liz Lochhead, Richard Holmes, Dame Penelope Lively, Tom Paulin, Claire Tomalin, Jack Mapanje, Simon […]
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The Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition 2026
February 10, 2026 11:17 pm – 11:17 pm The Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition (HCGEC) is a 100% virtual, global writing challenge designed for ambitious high school students. Hosted by The Harvard Crimson, a student organisation at Harvard College, HCGEC helps students refine their writing, gain international recognition, and strengthen their university applications. This competition […]
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2026 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
February 12, 2026 12:00 am – 11:59 pm The Next Generation Indie Book Awards, currently in its nineteenth year, is the largest international awards program for indie authors and independent publishers. The Indie Book Awards is now accepting entries from independent publishers and authors worldwide who have a book written in English and released in […]
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2026 Next Generation Short Story Awards
February 26, 2026 12:00 am – 11:59 pm The Next Generation Short Story Awards is a not-for-profit awards program open to authors writing original unpublished short stories (5,000 words or less per story) in English. Brought to you by the Next Generation Indie Book Awards (NGIBA) and Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group (IBPPG), the 2026 […]
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Emerging Author Dagger
February 27, 2026 9:15 am – 9:15 am The Emerging Author Dagger (formerly the Debut Dagger) is an international competition, open to anyone in the world writing in English, for a crime novel opening (max. 3,000 words) and synopsis (max. 1,500 words). The crime novel – of any subgenre; including but not limited to thriller, […]
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Never Such Innocence International Competition
February 27, 2026 3:04 pm – 3:04 pm The Never Such Innocence 2025/2026 International Competition is open for entries until 27th February 2026. The competition is young writers aged between nine and eighteen. Poetry, art and song formats are accepted. This year’s theme is In Someone Else’s Shoes – Explore different perspectives of war and […]
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Classical Association Verse and Voice Competition
February 27, 2026 10:47 pm – 10:47 pm The Classical Association in collaboration with Sir John Soane’s Museum in London is accepting entries for their 2026 Verse and Voice Competition. The event is free to enter, for writers of any age, anywhere in the world. Entries must not have been previously published or accepted for […]
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Edinburgh Short Story Award
February 28, 2026 9:07 am – 9:07 am The Edinburgh Short Story Award welcomes stories in all genres: literary, historic, crime, romance, gritty realism, contemporary, humour and more. For writers worldwide and stories on any topic up to 2,000 words. Bursaries for free entry are available for talented, under-represented writers The prizewinners, including the winner […]
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Voices of Mixed Heritage
February 28, 2026 1:47 pm – 1:47 pm The Voices of Mixed Heritage contest is run by Kinsman Avenue Publishing / Kinsman Quarterly. The organizer is looking for original, unpublished work in English, including short stories, nonfiction essays, or poetry exploring themes of multicultural or third-culture identity, love, belonging, home life, and pain. Eligibility: individuals […]
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Fish Flash Fiction Prize 2026
February 28, 2026 2:34 pm – 2:34 pm The Fish Flash Fiction Prize, run by west Ireland-based Fish Publishing, offers a top prize of €1,000. The prize has been an annual event since 2004. This event is an opportunity to attempt one of the most interesting and rewarding tasks – to create, in a tiny […]
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AWP Award Series
February 28, 2026 6:29 pm – 6:29 pm The AWP Award Series is an annual competition for the publication of excellent new book-length works. The competition is open to all authors writing in English, regardless of nationality or residence, and is available to published and unpublished authors alike. The AWP Award Series conducts an evaluation […]
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Canterbury Tales Writing Competition 2025-26
February 28, 2026 9:16 pm – 9:16 pm The Chaucer Heritage Trust is very pleased to launch its ninth annual Canterbury Tales Writing Competition for schools and home educated students inspired by the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, considered by many England’s greatest medieval poet. Writing should invoke the spirit of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. […]
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Porter Fleming Literary Competition
March 1, 2026 3:54 pm – 3:54 pm The Porter Fleming Literary Competition is an annual writing contest administered by the Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, Georgia, with support from the Porter Fleming Foundation. The competition honors the memory of Porter Fleming, a notable philanthropist of Augusta, through its establishment and ongoing support. All […]
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The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize
March 6, 2026 6:38 pm – 6:38 pm The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize is a writing competition sponsored by the stage and radio series Selected Shorts. The prize will be judged by Simon Rich. The winning work will be performed by an actor in spring 2026 and published on Electric Literature. The winning […]
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Edinburgh Young Adult Novel Award 2026
March 10, 2026 1:24 am – 1:24 am The Edinburgh Young Adult Novel Award is a competition for writers and illustrators of young adult fiction – for novels and graphic novels. Open to writers and illustrators worldwide The organizer is looking for the most engaging novels and graphic novels on any topic, in any style […]
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Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition 2026
March 31, 2026 12:00 am – 12:00 am The Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition 2026 (HCGEC) brings together ambitious high school students (aged 13–18) from around the world who have a passion for or interest in writing. The competition serves as an annual opportunity for students to showcase their talents on a global stage, compete […]
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The Lascaux Prize in Poetry
March 31, 2026 8:56 am – 8:56 am The Lascaux Prize in Poetry reopens 1 October 2025. Poems may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. All entries are considered for publication. Poets may enter more than once, and as many as five poems may be submitted per entry (all pasted into […]
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Memoir in Verse Award
March 31, 2026 1:40 pm – 1:40 pm The Memoir in Verse Award is run by Kinsman Avenue Publishing / Kinsman Quarterly. The organizer is looking for full-length poetry chapbooks (50-150 pages) celebrating a BIPOC or underrepresented poet. It seeks a thematic collection that captures a personal journey or season of life. Eligibility: individuals 18+ […]
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2026 Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
April 1, 2026 2:47 pm – 2:47 pm The 2026 Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest is organized by Winning Writers located in Western Massachusetts, United States of America. The organizer is accepting humor poems written in English, up to 250 lines in length. Both published or unpublished work can be submitted. The competition is free […]
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The Rialto Nature and Place Poetry Competition
April 1, 2026 10:18 pm – 10:18 pm The Rialto Nature and Place Competition 2026, in association with the RSPB, BirdLife International, Cambridge Conservation Initiative and The University of Leeds Poetry Centre, is now open for submissions. Poems are invited that deal with any aspect of nature and place – these terms will be given […]
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The Adrienne Rich Award for Poetry
April 30, 2026 4:02 pm – 4:02 pm The Adrienne Rich Award for Poetry is an annual prize administered by the Beloit Poetry Journal, supported by the Adrienne Rich Literary Trust. It celebrates poetry that embodies the boldness, creativity, and social engagement championed by Adrienne Rich herself. Applicants submit their work for both the chance […]
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Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
May 1, 2026 12:46 am – 12:46 am The Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest is organized by Winning Writers. For this contest, a story is any short work of fiction, and an essay is any short work of nonfiction. Both published and unpublished work is accepted, written in any theme. No restriction […]
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The Montreal International Poetry Prize
May 1, 2026 2:51 pm – 2:51 pm The Montreal International Poetry Prize is committed to encouraging the creation of original works of poetry, to building international readerships, and to exploring the world’s Englishes. The prize is run by the Department of English at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. The Montreal Prize awards one prize […]
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Readers’ Favorite Annual Book Award Contest
May 1, 2026 11:12 pm – 11:12 pm The Readers’ Favorite Annual Book Award Contest is a globally recognised, genre-diverse competition hosted by Readers’ Favorite, open to published and unpublished works in 150+ genres—from novels and short stories to comics and poetry. Winners are selected in each genre with Gold, Silver, Bronze, Honorable Mention, and […]
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London Independent Story Prize (LISP)
May 25, 2026 12:40 pm – 12:40 pm London Independent Story Prize (LISP) is a Community Interest Company that prioritises the interests of writers and filmmakers, founded by storytellers for storytellers. LISP aims to nurture courageous voices and create sustainable networking opportunities for writers and filmmakers. The submission period for LISP 2026 is open, featuring […]
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Frogmore Poetry Prize
May 31, 2026 10:51 pm – 10:51 pm The Frogmore Poetry Prize (sponsored by the Frogmore Foundation) was founded in 1987 and has been awarded annually since then. Poems must be in English, unpublished and not currently submitted elsewhere or accepted for future publication. They must not previously have been awarded a prize in any […]
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The Paz Prize for Poetry
June 15, 2026 9:04 am – 9:04 am The Miami Book Fair will award one $2,000 prize every for the publication of a previously unpublished book of poetry originally written in Spanish by an American resident. The prize will recognize book-length manuscripts of poetry written in Spanish. Manuscript length is not limited. However, a length […]
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The Bridport Prize 2026
June 15, 2026 1:13 pm – 1:13 pm The Bridport Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in the literary world. It is run by the Bridport Arts Centre in Bridport, England. The competition has five categories: Poetry, Short Story, Flash Fiction, Novel, and Memoir. The event is open to unpublished writers of any nationality, […]
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RISCS Short Story Competition 2026
January 12, 2026 3:12 am – 3:12 am RISCS – the National Research Institute for Sociotechnical Cyber Security, based at the University of Bristol – has launched a short story competition to explore how different social, technological, economic, and environmental changes might shape the future of cybersecurity. The organizer is looking for creative short stories […]
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The Path Not Taken Writing Competition
January 12, 2026 10:00 am – 8:00 pm The Path Not Taken Writing Competition is a creative writing challenge exploring stories about regrets that the main character has had in the past. You can take this theme as broad as you want, but you must keep the main theme the same. All entries must be […]
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The Colorado Prize for Poetry
January 14, 2026 10:08 pm – 10:08 pm The Colorado Prize for Poetry is an international poetry book manuscript contest established in 1995. The contest is open to all themes and genres. Manuscripts must be at least 48 pages and no more than 100 pages. They may be composed of any number of poems. Entrants […]